Paper mulch controls purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) in processing tomato

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Paper mulch controls purple nutsedge (Cyperus
rotundus L.) in processing tomato
EWRS Joint Workshop. 4-8 September 2011. Huesca,
Spain

• A. Cirujeda1, J. Aibar2, C. Zaragoza1
• 1Unidad de Sanidad Vegetal, Centro de
  Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria
  (CITA), Zaragoza
• 2Universidad de Zaragoza. Escuela Politécnica
  Superior Huesca

Huesca, September 7th, 2011
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Cyperus rotundus L. is considered one of the
worlds worst weed.
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Despite its low size, this species can cause a
reduction of up to 28 in the development of
tomato (Morales-Payan et al., 2003).
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SHORT DAY 9h
LONG DAY 12h
?LIGHT ?Tª
?LIGHT ?Tª
?LIGHT ?Tª
Tªlt5ºC
Tªgt20ºC
Tªgt15ºC
non- viable seeds
21A
21A
21J
21S
21D
SPRING
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
CYCLE OF CYPERUS ROTUNDUS L. in the North of
Spain (continental area)
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Cyperus rotundus infestation in a commercial farm
without mulch.
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IX Congreso SEAE Calidad y Seguridad Alimentaria
Plastic mulch with black polyethylene (PE) is
generally used in extensive horticultural crops
in north-eastern Spain, like in tomato.
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Objectives
In this work we present the effect of some types
of paper used in tomato crop infested with C.
rotundus during five years.
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Material and methods
Table 1. Description of the treatments.
Trial Year Material Company Colour Weight (gm2)
All 2005-10 Untreated control - - -
All 2005-10 PE Solplast Black 16.4
All 2005-10 Mater-Bi1 Novamont Black 22.3
Aula Dei 2005, 06 Saikraft 2002, 3 Saica Brown 200
Aula Dei, S. Bruno 2007, 08 Saikraft 1402, 3 Saica Brown 140
S. Bruno 2008, 09 Mimgreen2 Mimcord Black 90
S. Bruno 2009, 10 Karpan Liner2 Smurfit-Kappa Brown 120
S. Bruno 2009, 10 MG2 Smurfit-Kappa Black 50
1Biodegradable plastic 2Paper 3Paper coated on
one side with an estiren-acrylate copolymer at
150 g/t.
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Saikraft
Mimcord
Karpan Liner
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Results
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Results
Figure 1. Cyperus rotundus density 42 days after
transplantation.
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Results
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Results
Paper mulch does not prevent Cyperus emergence
but as far as it stands the physical pressure and
does not break, the plants are not able to reach
the light, develop chlorotic leaves, do not
flower and die.
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Results
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Results
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Results
Drawbacks If rainfall is frequent, the paper
becomes soft and do not dry and the control
effect on Cyperus is not reached (Méndez et al.,
2006 Northern Spain). This can also happen if the
irrigation emitters are placed upwards and the
paper is continously wet.
Another unconvenient of paper mulch is that in
clay soils the degradation of the underground
part of the paper mulch may be quite fast and the
paper breaks down in the contact line of the
mulch with the soil surface allowing the wind to
damage it.
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Results
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Results
Tomato yield at the paper mulch treatments was
very similar to that obtained in the PE all 5
years of experiments.
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Economic aspects
Mulching type /kg g/m2 /ha Coments
Black PE 15 µ 1.85 16.4 202 100 Add aprox.150 removal cost.
Saikraft 125 recycled Paper Saikraft 140 recycled Paper 0.47 0.46 125 140 391 429 193 212 Shorter rolls for same weight
MaterBi (biodegradable plastic)15µ 4.75 22.3 706 350 -
Biofilm (biodegradable plastic) 17µ 5.8 21 818 404 -
Black Paper Mimcord 135µ 1.5 90.3 903 446 Good installation. Shorter rolls for same weight
It does not include installation. Prices in
Spain, 2010 2/3 field area covered (1,50m
between rows, 1,20m mulch width)
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Conclusions
Paper mulch is an efficient weed control method
including Cyperus spp. unless the mulch is not
under continous moisture conditions.
Another advantage is the complete degradation of
the paper after burial.
The main constraints compared to PE is the price
(nowadays), the slower installation and the
heavier weight of the rolls.
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EWRS Joint Workshop. 4-8 September 2011. Huesca,
Spain
Thanks for your attention!