Turmeric

Weed Management

  • Weeds have become a constant menace to all cultivated crops including turmeric.
  • India, being tropical country, high temperature and humidity pave way for luxuriant growth of weeds.
  • Weeds compete with crop plants for soil moisture, nutrients, light and space.
  • Weed competition in early stage of crop growth virtually affects the yield of rhizome.

Losses

  • Weeds cause greater losses of crops than either insect pests and plant diseases.
  • They cause 10 to 15 per cent reduction in the yield of rhizomes.
  • They often suppress the growth of turmeric plants and at the same time encourage the growth of many pathogens and pests.

Weed flora in turmeric fields

Common name Scientific name
Monocotyledonous weeds
Grasses

 
Kuthiraivali

Echinochola crusgalli

Varsanum pul

Echinochloa colonum
Sedges
Korai
Cyperus sp.
Dicotyledonous weeds
Broad leaved
Saranai
Trianthema postulacastrum
Karisalanganni Eclipta alba
Ammanpacharisi Euphorbia hirta
Keelanelli Phyllanthus niruri

  • Other garden land weeds may also occur in addition to the above weeds.

Management

Cultural

  • Remove the stubbles and roots of weeds while preparing the land.
  • Use well decomposed manure to avoid dissemination of weeds.
  • Clean the implements before use.
  • Keep the channels free of weeds.
  • Mulch with leaves and straw applied just after planting for controlling weeds and enhancing earliness in sprouting of turmeric.

Mechanical

  • Removal of weeds by hand hoe, hand weeder, cultivator, harrows, etc.

Chemical

  • The chemical method of destroying weeds involves the prevention of weed growth by using herbicide or destroying the weeds already grown.
  • According to the method of treatment, the herbicides are mainly classified into two types viz., Pre-emergence (soil treatment) and post emergence (stem and leaf treatment).
  • In maize + turmeric intercropping system, simazine 50% WP or atrazine 50% WP at 2 kg/ha effectively controlled weed growth.
  • The highest gross returns were obtained with fluchloralin 45 EC at 2 lit/ha + hand weeding followed by atrazine 50% WP at 2kg/ha + hand weeding in turmeric + maize intercropping system.
  • Integrated weed management of pre-emergence application of herbicide followed by one manual weeding was economical than farmers practice of two manual weedings.
  • For spraying herbicide, a special type of nozzle either deflector or fan type has to be used.
  • The herbicide has to be applied at the appropriate time at the recommended dose.
  • A total of 600-625 litres of spray fluid is to be used per hectare
  • Separate sprayer should be used for spraying herbicides. The sprayers used for herbicides spray should not be used for spraying insecticide or fungicide.
  • Walking in the field after spraying herbicide should be avoided, because in walked space because of removal of herbicide, weed control will be reduced.

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Tamilnadu

Turmeric

Turmeric Management