Abstract
Abstract Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers and environment, requiring sustainable intervention. This study aimed to determine (i) whether metribuzin application rate (0, 0.5, 1 (standard), 1.5, and 2 kg ai ha −1 ) has effects on soil microbes and soil nutrients in the short term using potted soil and (ii) the influence of potato seed dormancy (short; Shangi variety and long; Unica variety) and planting technique (surface, ridge, or furrow planting) on the efficacy of weed management practice (metribuzin (480 g L −1 ) herbicide and hoeing) in the field. Bacterial colony counts were recorded upon isolation from the potted soil. Soil nutrients were also analysed before and after metribuzin treatment. Data on crop growth (height and stem count), weed abundance, yield, costs, and revenues were recorded from a field experiment. Morphologically distinct bacterial strains were tested for Gram reaction and response to carbon utilization using analytical profile index kits (API 50 CH and 20 NE). In total, nine distinct bacterial strains were isolated and all were Gram positive, with variation in response to carbon substrates. Concentration of 2.0 kg a.i ha −1 significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) reduced bacterial count in the first day, followed by an increase in the subsequent incubation days, while 1.0 and 1.5 kg a.i ha −1 concentrations had the highest colony development index and species richness. Significant effects of metribuzin on soil pH, total N, and total organic C in the short term were revealed. Notably, weedy plots had the highest Shannon weed index. Weeds reduced stem count and height growth by 57% and 62% respectively. Plots with Shangi had 9.8% lower weed count than those with Unica and hence higher yield was recorded from the former. While surface planting had the lowest weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yield, furrow and ridge planting were not significantly different. Weed abundance and crop growth attributes in metribuzin and hand-hoed plots did not differ significantly, yet hoeing resulted in 5.30 t ha −1 above that obtained from plots managed using metribuzin. Higher dry matter and tuber yield were observed from hoed plots with Shangi planted in furrow or ridge. Use of metribuzin resulted in higher net benefit ratio and marginal rate of return than hand hoeing. The results reveal that use of metribuzin early and later in the potato growing phase can minimize weed infestation, but the efficacy depends on planting method and seed dormancy.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin at 2.0 kg a.i ha−1 significantly reduced soil bacterial count on the first day.
- Taxon
- potato
Solanum tuberosume0 - Treatment
- 2.0 kg a.i ha −1e1
- Outcome
- bacterial counte1
- Direction
- reducede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“Concentration of 2.0 kg a.i ha −1 significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) reduced bacterial count in the first day”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil bacterial count rose again in the subsequent incubation days after metribuzin at 2.0 kg a.i ha−1.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- 2.0 kg a.i ha −1e1
- Outcome
- bacterial counte1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Qualifier
- in the subsequent incubation dayse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“Concentration of 2.0 kg a.i ha −1 significantly ( p ≤ 0.05) reduced bacterial count in the first day, followed by an increase in the subsequent incubation days”
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin at 1.0 and 1.5 kg a.i ha−1 gave the highest colony development index and species richness of soil bacteria.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- 1.0 and 1.5 kg a.i ha −1e2
- Outcome
- colony development index and species richnesse2
- Direction
- higheste2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e2“1.0 and 1.5 kg a.i ha −1 concentrations had the highest colony development index and species richness”
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin had significant short-term effects on soil pH, total N and total organic C.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- metribuzine3
- Outcome
- soil pH, total N, and total organic Ce3
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e3“Significant effects of metribuzin on soil pH, total N, and total organic C in the short term were revealed”
Claim · model-written summary
Weedy plots had the highest Shannon weed index.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- weedy plotse4
- Outcome
- Shannon weed indexe4
- Direction
- higheste4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e4“Notably, weedy plots had the highest Shannon weed index”
Claim · model-written summary
Weeds reduced potato stem count by 57%.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- Weedse5
- Interactor
- Weedse5weed
- Outcome
- stem counte5
- Direction
- reducede5
- Value
- 57%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e5“Weeds reduced stem count and height growth by 57% and 62% respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Weeds reduced potato height growth by 62%.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- Weedse5
- Interactor
- Weedse5weed
- Outcome
- height growthe5
- Direction
- reducede5
- Value
- 62%e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e5“Weeds reduced stem count and height growth by 57% and 62% respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Shangi potato had 9.8% lower weed count than Unica.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Material
- Shangie6
- Outcome
- weed counte6
- Direction
- lowere6
- Value
- 9.8%e6
- Comparator
- Unicae6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e6“Plots with Shangi had 9.8% lower weed count than those with Unica and hence higher yield was recorded from the former”
Claim · model-written summary
Shangi potato gave higher yield than Unica.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e6“Plots with Shangi had 9.8% lower weed count than those with Unica and hence higher yield was recorded from the former”
Claim · model-written summary
Surface planting had the lowest weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes and yield.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- surface plantinge7
- Outcome
- weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yielde7
- Direction
- loweste7
- Comparator
- furrow and ridge plantinge7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e7“While surface planting had the lowest weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yield, furrow and ridge planting were not significantly different”
Claim · model-written summary
Furrow and ridge planting did not differ significantly in weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes or yield.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- furrow and ridge plantinge7
- Outcome
- weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yielde7
- Direction
- not significantly differente7
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e7“While surface planting had the lowest weed control efficacy, crop growth attributes, and yield, furrow and ridge planting were not significantly different”
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin and hand hoeing did not differ significantly in weed abundance or crop growth attributes.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- metribuzine1
- Outcome
- Weed abundance and crop growth attributese1
- Direction
- did not differe1
- Comparator
- hand-hoed plotse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“Weed abundance and crop growth attributes in metribuzin and hand-hoed plots did not differ significantly”
Claim · model-written summary
Hand hoeing gave 5.30 t ha−1 more tuber yield than metribuzin-managed plots.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- hoeinge1
- Outcome
- tuber yielde2
- Direction
- abovee1
- Value
- 5.30 t ha −1e1
- Comparator
- plots managed using metribuzine1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“hoeing resulted in 5.30 t ha −1 above that obtained from plots managed using metribuzin”
e2“Higher dry matter and tuber yield were observed from hoed plots with Shangi planted in furrow or ridge”
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin gave higher net benefit ratio and marginal rate of return than hand hoeing.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Treatment
- metribuzine1
- Outcome
- net benefit ratio and marginal rate of returne1
- Direction
- highere1
- Comparator
- hand hoeinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“Use of metribuzin resulted in higher net benefit ratio and marginal rate of return than hand hoeing”
Claim · model-written summary
Metribuzin early and later in the potato growing phase can minimize weed infestation, but efficacy depends on planting method and seed dormancy.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosume0
- Outcome
- minimize weed infestatione1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Weed infestation in potato field has become a major concern to smallholder farmers”
e1“use of metribuzin early and later in the potato growing phase can minimize weed infestation”
The same questions in other papers
metribuzin · yield · Solanum tuberosum (potato)Results differ
12 papers in the same direction as this paper · 6 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- no effect
- no effect
17 papers more in this group
See all 21 papers →metribuzin · weed · Solanum tuberosum (potato)Positive and negative results
21 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
- positive
18 papers more in this group
See all 22 papers →irrigation · weed · Solanum tuberosum (potato)Positive and negative results
2 in the opposite direction
- positive
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.