S.K. Yau and M Haidar
Abstract
Safflower could be a profitable new crop for Lebanon. However, safflower competes poorly with weeds at the early stage of growth. The objective of this study was to find an effective weed-control method to help attract farmers’ acceptance of the crop. A rainfed trial was planted at the Agricultural Research and Education Center (AREC) in the Bekaa in 1999-2000. There were six treatments of weed management: weedy check, weed free check (hand-weeding 3 times), pre-emergence herbicide (pendimethalin + pronamide), inter-row cultivation (end of Mar, 2000), delayed-planting (to allow cultivation of emerged weeds), and delayed planting with inter-row cultivation. The herbicide and the delay-planting plus cultivation treatments significantly reduced the weed population in comparison with the weedy check. Relative to the checks, all treatments did not affect safflower seedling emergence and stand. Seed yield of delayed planting was the highest whereas the weedy check gave the lowest seed yield. Relative to the checks, date of flowering was delayed by late planting and by cultivation. This study indicated that in Lebanon delayed planting and spraying of pendimethalin + pronamide could be two useful ways for weed-control in safflower crops.