Investigation of different mechanical weeding methods performance for weed control efficiency, mechanical injuries and yield in three bean varieties

Abstract

       In many agricultural systems around the world, competition of weeds is one of the major factors reducing crop yield. This research was carried out to study the performance of mechanical methods for weed control, mechanical damage, yield and yield components of three bean genotypes in 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons. The experiment carried out as split plot arrangement based on complete block design with three replications in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center in Markazi Province, Iran, Arak. The experimental treatments were comprised of three bean lines and varieties including Sadri, KS-21189 and COS16 as main plots and four mechanical methods of weeds control including: sweep type weeder, rotary type weeder, rolling type weeder and manual weeding as subplots. The KS21189 line was superior compared to other lines for seed yield (4527 kg/ha). The highest percentage of plant injury percentage obtained in Sadri variety (12/71 %) and rolling weed control method (17.87 %). In spite the fact that, the lowest percentage of plant injury percentage (1.1 %) and the highest weed efficiency (91.77 %) was observed in manual weeding method, but the application of the hoe weeder type caused to enhance bean yield (4848 kg/ha). It is appeared that hilling up bean bushes simultaneously by mechanical weeding performance used by the hoe weeder type caused to enhance grain yield of the bean. Hence, the application of the hoe weeder type could be recommendable for the uprooting of weeds in bean fields under the region climatic condition.