Effects of olive processing waste, chicken manure and Dazomet on weeds with or without soil solarisation

Abstract

Three non-chemical weed control alternatives (chicken manure (10 t ha-1), olive processing waste (OPW) (30 t ha-1), and solarisation (6-7 weeks at > 40.9 - 47.1oC at a 15 cm soil) were applied to greenhouse grown tomatoes alone and in combination and were compared with a soil fumigant (dazomet) for the ability to control weeds. Both dazomet (485 kg a.i. ha-1) and solarisation provided excellent control of common purslane, slender amaranth and bristly foxtail. Excellent weed control was also achieved with
a half dose of dazomet (242.5 kg a.i. ha-1) plus 21 days of solarisation. OPW provided moderate control of these weeds, but chicken manure did not. OPW and chicken manure applied with solarisation provided 100% control of common purslane, slender amaranth and bristly foxtail, but did not
significantly improve control compared to solarisation alone. OPW plus a short-duration of solarisation may provide weed control that is comparable to dazomet in greenhouse grown tomatoes.