Effiency of ecoherbi TM, a natural herbicide for weed control on jackfruit farm / Noor Fadilah Mohd Noor

Current weed control method is highly herbicide dependent with limited herbicide registered in jackfruit. This could lead to evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds plus environmental concerns. EcoHerbi TM, a by-product of methionine production through fermentation process, has herbicidal property due to high content of acetic acid. This study aims to determine the weed species composition and to examine the efficacy of EcoHerbi TM for weed control on mature jackfruit farm. The experimental plots were established in seven years-old jackfruit farm where each plot measuring 10 m2 was set up. Weed density, frequency, relative frequency, relative density and important value of each plot were determined using four quadrats sized 1 m2 each. Five treatments were carried out at the inter rows of jackfruit trees as follows: T1: Untreated, where weeds were not controlled by any treatments, T2: EcoHerbi TM (full rate), T3: EcoHerbi TM (half rate), T4: commercial synthetic herbicide of glufosinate at a recommended rate and T5: Acetic acid at 20% concentration (v/v). The efficacy of each treatment was assessed on three dominant weed species based on percentage of weed killed (0 to 100%) at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after treatment. The results indicated that 12 broadleaved weed species and 3 grassy weed species were found in the plots. Three most dominant species were broadleaved weeds of Ageratum conyzoides, Asystasia gangetica, and grassy weed of Cynodon dactylon with respective importance values of 3516, 1639 and 2026. EcoHerbiTM had a lower weed control efficacy (p<0.05) than T5. Increasing the application rate of EcoHerbiTM from the half rate to the full rate did not improve the weed control efficacy significantly (p≥0.05). However, T2 had comparable efficacy (p≥0.05) with T4. A. conyzoides could recover at three weeks after herbicide treatments whereas A. gangetica and C. dactylon could recover at two weeks regardless of any herbicide treatments. These results suggested that EcoHerbiTM is a natural contact herbicide which has potential to be applied as post emergence weed killer on jackfruit farm.