Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of various herbicides on dodder control in Fenugreek field. Glyphosate and Stomp herbicides were applied at different rates to control the parasitic weed Cuscuta campestris Yunck.on fenugreek plants Trigonella foenum-graecum L. Results revealed that applying glyphosate post-attachment at very low rates (80 and 120 g/fed.) exhibited selective control for attached dodder with fenugreek plants. Both glyphosate rates gave excellent dodder control and significant yield increases. Also improved fenugreek plant height, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant and number of seeds/pod Whereas, stomp (pre-emergence herbicide) was effective only at 0.5 L/fed.. Data also showed that dodder control increased by increasing the rates of glyphosate and stomp although, at higher rates (160 g/fed. and 1.0 L/fed.), seed yield can severely reduced and phytotoxic injury to the host plant was clearly observed. The obtained results also indicate that both herbicides were markedly increased the leaf contents of total carbohydrates ,reducing sugars, chlorophylls and carotenoid, anthocyanin, proline, total free amino acids, total indoles, crude proteins and total nitrogen contents in the leaves. On the contrary, all dodder control treatments decreased total phenols and non reducing sugars in leaves as compared to the control.

Keywords

chemical control, herbicides (glyphosat and stomp), fenugreek plant, chemical constitution of leaf