Evaluation of Some Herbicides Against Flax Dodder (Cuscuta Epilinum Weihe) In Fibre Flax (Linum Ustatissimum L.) Cultivation
Evaluation of Some Herbicides Against Flax Dodder (Cuscuta EpilinumWeihe) In Fibre Flax (Linum UstatissimumL.) CultivationTwo field experiments were carried out in Sakha Experimental Station during two seasons to evaluate the efficacy of different treatments (hand combing, butralin, tribenuron-methyl, metosulam and fluazifop-p-butyl) in controlling dodder weed (Cuscuta epilinumWeihe) in Fibre flax. Moreover, the effect of these treatments on some growth characters of flax yield and its components was also determined. All tested herbicide treatments decreased the dodder infestation in flax for up to 49 days. All tested herbicide treatments increased all flax growth characters, (straw yield and seed yield). Butralin herbicide gave the best control of dodder, followed by metosulam, tribenuron-methyl and fluazifop-p-butyl. Also, the data revealed that most herbicidal treatments slightly decreased protein content of flax plants and did not adversely affect the oil content of its seeds. This study suggests that, under heavy infestation of dodder weed, the use of the tested herbicides, especially butralin, is highly recommended.