Abstract

Olumidele Roland Femi

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of herbicides and manual weeding on weed management and tomato yield in Ado Ekiti, a southwestern Nigerian location. Pendimethalin at the rate of 1.25 kg a.i.ha-1 was applied pre-transplanting on ridges; Paraquat was applied post-transplanting as supplementary to earlier treatments at the rate of 2.4 kg a.i.ha-1 and manual weeding was done at 3 and 7 weeks after transplanting. The herbicide combinations provided the best weed suppression in terms of weed density and biomass reductions. Field establishment count showed that the herbicides used did not pose lethal effect on the tomato plant. Comparable yield figures were obtained from plots sprayed with the herbicide combinations: manual weeding + herbicide combinations and manual weeding at 3 and 7 weeks after transplanting (WAT). Pendimethalin applied pre-transplanting without a supplementary weed management could not give a season long weed management and thus led to lower tomato yield.