Weed Control Efficacy: Response of Chickpea to Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides

Lack of control options for cool-season broadleaf weeds is a major deterrent to autumn-sown chickpea. Weed control and chickpea tolerance to PRE (pre-emergence) and POST (post-emergence) application of isoxaflutole and oxyflurofen, PRE metribuzin, POST pyridate, and flumetsulam were investigated at three locations, including Kermanshah, Kurdistan, and Hamedan provinces during 2017–2018. Untreated and weed-free checks were added for comparison. Pyridate and PRE oxyflurofen 125?g ai ha^?1 caused the minor visual crop injury according to EWRS score (1–1.8), while the highest crop injury occurred with metribuzin (EWRS score 3.5–8.5) in whole locations. The most effective herbicides for weed reduction were pyridate (70–75%), PRE oxyfluorfen (69–76%), and POST oxyfluorfen (65–73%) at Kermanshah, PRE oxyfluorfen at 125 and 175?g ai ha^?1 (70–78%), POST oxyfluorfen (70–76%) and pyridate (70–78%) at Kurdistan, PRE oxyfluorfen at 125 and 175?g ai ha^?1 (88–96%), metribuzin (91–100%) and Pyridate (80–97%) at Hamedan. Pyridate and PRE oxyfluorfen at 125?g ai ha^?1 resulted in the highest chickpea grain yield at the three locations. In general, PRE oxyfluorfen (125?g ai ha^?1) was similar to pyridate in terms of efficacy in weed control and grain yield enhancement.

     

Sustainability assessment of potato fields using the DEXi decision support system in Hamadan Province,Iran

Potato is a staple food crop and the most important agricultural commodity, which critically affects food security and economic stability in Hamadan Province, Iran. Ex-ante sustainability appraisal of new cropping systems and their comparisons with conventional systems can increase the efficiencies of innovations and changes within the production process. This study aimed to explore the sustainability levels of potato cropping systems in Hamadan Province, Iran. To this end, DEXi methodology was developed for the sustainability assessment of the cropping systems. For assessing the three dimensions of environmental, economic, and social sustainability in the four systems of traditional potato system (TPS), Quasi-industrial potato system (QIPS), industrial potato system (IPS), and government-promoted potato system (GPPS), five groups of features were utilized: (1) irrigation method; (2) seed placement; (3) farm machinery use; (4) agrochemical use; and (5) rotation. The impact assessments of the cropping systems were based on two, three, and two groups of ecological, social, and economic indicators, respectively. Employment, supply chain, protection, operational difficulty, productivity, profitability, input use, and biodiversity resulted in 21 basic indicators and 13 aggregated indicators, by which the cropping systems were described. The results revealed that GPPS with distinctive economic and social profiles could have a better overall sustainability despite the fact that some indicators like biodiversity could be negatively affected. Finally, three strategies were recommended for the sustainability of GPPS as follows: biodiversity enhancement, input substitution, and integrated water management.