Studies on Persistence of Pesticides in Soils and Crops under Polyethylene Film Mulching Culture II. Effect of Polyethylene Film mulching on Weed Emergence, Growth and Yield of Red pepper, Peanut and Sesame

In the red pepper field under polythylene film mulching(P.E.-mulching) culture, the weed emergence was completely inhibited by black P.E.-mulching. The emergence in clear P.E.-mulching decreased 90% compared to that in non-mulching. Weeding effect was high in the order of pendimethalin, diphenamid, alachlor and napropamide. The effect of herbicides was higher in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Plant height and number of branches increased in the order of clear P.E.-, black P.E.-mulching, while the yield between black P.E.- and clear P.E.-mulching was not different. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the peanut field, weed emergence was 80% lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect was excellent in the plot applied with alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid. The total number of branches, main stem height and shoot weight were 2.0, 1.7 and 2.4 times greater in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching, respectively. Peanut yield was about 38% higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. The herbicides had no effect on the growth and yield. In the sesame field, rate of weed emergence was 10 times lower in clear P.E.-mulching than in non-mulching. Weeding effect of alachlor, napropamide and diphenamid was higher under clear P.E.-mulching than under non-mulching. Germination percentage of sesame greatly decreased in non-mulching compared with in clear P.E.-mulching. The germination was inhibited by the treatment of herbicides. The inhibition effect was increased in the order of alachlor, napropamide, and diphenamid. The initial crop injury in treatment of herbicides was greater in non-mulching than in clear P.E.-mulching. The crop recovered from the injury and exhibited regrowth in clear P.E.-mulching except the alachlor treatment, but there was no recovery in non-mulching. There was no significant difference yield between herbicide treatment and hand weeding in non-mulching. Also, no significant difference was obseorbed between napropamide and diphenamid treatment and hand weeding in clear P.E.-mulching.