Weed control in young sour cherry plantations

Abstract

Studies were carried out at the Fruit Growing Institute in 2008 – 2010 in a young sour cherry plantation including the cultivars М-15 (‘Érdi Nagygyümölcsű’), М172, ‘Schattenmorelle’, ‘Nefris’, ‘Heiman Ruby’, ‘Fanal’, ‘Erdi Bötermö’ and ‘Debreceni’, grafted on Gisela 5 vegetative rootstock. In spring, before vegetation, the in-row strip was treated with the contact leaf and soil herbicide oxyfluorfen (Goal 4F – 2.5 l/ha). Directed application of glyphosate (Dominator Ultra – 6.0 l/ha) was made twice during vegetation for control of secondary (late) weed infestation. The applied herbicide combination of oxyfluorfen and glyphosate realized very good herbicide efficiency against the weed species forming the weed association in the row strip of the plantation. The period of an efficient herbicide post effect of Goal 4F lasted about 120 days. External symptoms of phytotoxicity and suppression of the vegetative and initial reproductive habits of the sour cherry trees were not established. The use of oxyfluorfen and glyphosate did not entail any risk of contaminating the environmental components with pesticide residues. That is a good reason to apply the herbicides Goal 4F and Dominator Ultra for ecologically sound weed control in sour cherry orchards.