EFFECT OF SOME WEED CONTROL METHODS ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF SUGARCANE UNDER SOHAG CONDITIONS

Two filed trials were carried out in Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, Sohag Governorate during 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 seasons. Each trail included 12 treatments represent, hand hoeing once at 45 days after planting (DAP), hand hoeing twice at 45 and 65 DAP and hand hoeing thrice at 25, 45 and 65 DAP, using herbicides, Garlon at rate 200 cm/fed, Derby at rate 30 cm/fed, Starane at the rate of 200 cm/fed and Karmex at the rate of 2 kg/fed, and the use of these herbicides separately plus one hand hoeing at 65 DAP and unweeded (control). Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Sugarcane var Ph. 8013 was used. The obtained results revealed that weed control treatments had a significant affected on narrow, broad leaved and total weeds (g/m2) in both seasons. Hand hoeing thrice, hand hoeing twice and Garlon + one hand hoeing gave the best weed control as compared to unwedded treatment in the first and second seasons, respectively. Also, weed control treatments significantly affected stalk height and diameter, number of internodes/stalk, brix, sucrose and sugar recovery percentages as well as millable cans, cane and sugar yields in both seasons. Using hand hoeing thrice resulted in the highest values of the studied traits in both seasons, except brix, sucrose and sugar recovery percentages in the second season. Using Karmex + one hand hoeing resulted in the highest values of these traits as compared to the unwedded treatment. Under conditions of the present study, it can conclude that hand hoeing thrice achieved the highest values for cane and sugar yields.