Abstract

MAGANA-LIRA, Natanael; PENA-LOMELI, Aureliano; URZUA-SORIA, Fernando  and  HERNANDEZ-ANTONIO, Rafael. Weed control in husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Horm.). Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2019, vol.25, n.2, pp.129-139. ISSN 2007-4034.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchsh.2018.06.011.

Husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Horm.) is widely cultivated in Mexico. In general, weed control in this crop is done mechanically and manually, and despite its high cost little research has been conducted on the use of herbicides, although some are reported as selective for the species. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of three herbicides on yield and weed control in husk tomato. Manual weeding and the herbicides Bensulide (PREFAR 480-E®, 5.76 kgi.a.·ha-1), Halosulfuron-methyl (SEMPRA 75 GD®, 75 gi.a.·ha-1) and Isoxaflutole (PROVENCE 75 WG®, 112.5 gi.a.·ha-1) were assessed. The crop was established in April 2016 by transplant with drip irrigation. A randomized complete block experimental design with 10 replicates was used. The herbicides Bensulide and Isoxaflutole were applied to weeds in pre-emergence, 10 days after transplant (dat), Halosulfuron-methyl was applied in post-emergence, 21 dat, and manual weeding was done at 21 and 44 dat. The highest total yield was obtained with Isoxaflutole (1.13 kg·plant-1, 28.5 t·ha-1), which was statistically the same as manual weeding and significantly better than Bensulide and Halosulfuron-methyl. Both Isoxaflutole and Bensulide were selective to husk tomato. Isoxaflutole did not control coco-grass (Cyperus rotundus L.) or oat (Avena sativa L.), but it did partially control chayotillo (Sicyos deppei G. Don). Halosulfuron-methyl was not selective, but it controlled coco-grass, so its application should be directed to the weed.

Keywords : biological effectiveness; herbicides; tomatillo.