Herbicides are widely used for weed control in processing tomato due to their high efficacy and low cost; however, their environmental dispersion raises concerns about soil and water contamination. This study evaluated integrated chemical and non-chemical weed control strategies to reduce herbicide inputs while maintaining weed control efficacy and crop performance. Field experiments were conducted in 2023 and 2024 on processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using a randomized block design to compare chemical, mechanical, physical, and integrated weed management systems. Weed control efficacy (WCE), crop response, yield, and metribuzin mobility in soil were assessed. Integrated treatments combining herbicides with mechanical or physical methods achieved WCE greater than 95%, comparable to full chemical control, while allowing a 50% reduction in herbicide use. Mechanical control alone reached up to 90% WCE, enabling complete herbicide elimination, though overall efficacy was lower than chemical-based treatments. Tomato yield closely followed weed control effectiveness. Metribuzin concentrations in soil water declined rapidly and remained below quantification limits at deeper soil layers, indicating low leaching risk. These results suggest that integrated weed management can effectively reduce herbicide inputs while maintaining high weed control and tomato yield, with potential benefits for environmental sustainability.
Evaluation of integrated weed control methods to reduce herbicides input in processing tomato
Pannacci E.
;Farneselli M.;Monni V.;Tei F.
2025
Abstract
Herbicides are widely used for weed control in processing tomato due to their high efficacy and low cost; however, their environmental dispersion raises concerns about soil and water contamination. This study evaluated integrated chemical and non-chemical weed control strategies to reduce herbicide inputs while maintaining weed control efficacy and crop performance. Field experiments were conducted in 2023 and 2024 on processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) using a randomized block design to compare chemical, mechanical, physical, and integrated weed management systems. Weed control efficacy (WCE), crop response, yield, and metribuzin mobility in soil were assessed. Integrated treatments combining herbicides with mechanical or physical methods achieved WCE greater than 95%, comparable to full chemical control, while allowing a 50% reduction in herbicide use. Mechanical control alone reached up to 90% WCE, enabling complete herbicide elimination, though overall efficacy was lower than chemical-based treatments. Tomato yield closely followed weed control effectiveness. Metribuzin concentrations in soil water declined rapidly and remained below quantification limits at deeper soil layers, indicating low leaching risk. These results suggest that integrated weed management can effectively reduce herbicide inputs while maintaining high weed control and tomato yield, with potential benefits for environmental sustainability.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
