July 9, 2025 | 15:52 GMT +7

  • Click to copy
Friday- 09:54, 01/11/2024

Combination of fertilize and herbicide aids in open field tomato growth

(VAN) Furthermore, combining the herbicide with fertilizer can help suppress nutsedge in the beds, while maintaining yield.

A combination of herbicide and fertilizer can prevent the nasty nutsedge weed from harming tomatoes, new University of Florida research shows. That, in turn, should mean more of the fruit going to the grocery store and your kitchen.

An increase or decrease in tomato production is critical because it's a $400 million-a-year industry in Florida.

Growers want to control nutsedge, which can severely damage their crops. "Nutsedge is a notorious weed that poses significant challenges for vegetable production in Florida," said Ramdas Kanissery, a UF/IFAS weed scientist and associate professor of horticultural sciences. "Managing nutsedge effectively is crucial for tomato growers aiming to ensure a successful crop."

When nutsedge infests plastic-mulch beds, it competes with tomato plants for vital resources such as water and nutrients, said Kanissery, a faculty member at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.

Indeed, research has shown that an infestation of purple nutsedge can reduce tomato yields by more than 40%, Kanissery noted.

"These weeds are particularly difficult to manage in crops like tomatoes that grow in plasticulture systems because they are the only weeds that can puncture plastic mulch," he said.

Damaged plastic mulch poses a huge concern for growers. It increases the labor costs required to remove the plastic. Nutsedge also spreads quickly.

To control nutsedge, tomato growers use pre-emergence herbicide – which is sprayed on soil before the weed sprouts from the ground. The problem with that approach is that herbicide can leach into the root zone of tomato plants, which can minimize crop growth.

For the new study, doctoral student Ruby Tiwari, working under the supervision of Kanissery, found that a combination of pre-emergence herbicide and fertilizer helped control nutsedge.

Specifically, Tiwari and her colleagues found that if growers apply herbicides such as S-Metolachlor to raised tomato beds before laying down plastic mulch, they can control nutsedge without harming crop health or yield.

Furthermore, combining the herbicide with fertilizer can help suppress nutsedge in the beds, while maintaining yield.

"This method is particularly popular in midwestern states for crops such as wheat," Kanissery said. "One challenge of weed management in Florida is herbicide leaching, which can harm crops. By combining a slow-release iron fertilizer with the pre-emergence herbicide, we aim to address these challenges and improve weed control."

H.D

UF/IFAS

FAO welcomes Canada’s pledge of nearly $10 million to Global Fire Management Hub

FAO welcomes Canada’s pledge of nearly $10 million to Global Fire Management Hub

(VAN) Funding following G7 Kananaskis Wildfire Charter to enhance global collaboration for integrated fire management.

Angiang deploys 1,500 ha of high-tech rice cultivation to advance carbon credit market

Angiang deploys 1,500 ha of high-tech rice cultivation to advance carbon credit market

(VAN) Astri Institute launches its Southwestern Branch in An Giang, aiming to promote smart, sustainable agriculture and advance carbon credit development in the Mekong Delta.

Low-emission sugarcane to earn revenue from carbon credit market

Low-emission sugarcane to earn revenue from carbon credit market

(VAN) The project not only enhances the sustainability and credibility of the Lam Son sugarcane value chain but also opens up opportunities to access global carbon financial resources.

Hanoi to expand habitat areas within the Huong Son Nature Reserve

Hanoi to expand habitat areas within the Huong Son Nature Reserve

(VAN) Hanoi implements a project to strengthen regional linkages and promote the sustainable exploitation and use of biodiversity resources in protected areas and natural heritage sites in the Red River Delta region.

Vietnam to scale up alternate wetting and drying methods

Vietnam to scale up alternate wetting and drying methods

(VAN) Alternate wetting and drying irrigation in rice cultivation contributes to realizing the goal of sustainable, low-emission production under the One Million Hectares of High-Quality Rice project.

Vietnam-Japan strengthen ties to mobilize climate finance for low-emission rice

Vietnam-Japan strengthen ties to mobilize climate finance for low-emission rice

(VAN) The rice cultivation model applying the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation method has demonstrated significant emission reduction efficiency and has been registered as a carbon credit project.

A launchpad for Vietnam enterprises to participate in the global Net Zero race

A launchpad for Vietnam enterprises to participate in the global Net Zero race

(VAN) The event initiated policy, technical, and financial alignment efforts, which enabled businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, to proactively transition to low-emission development.

Read more