Weed Control Efficacy of the Residues and its Aqueous Extract of Sorghum Shoots

This study was conducted to investigate the ability for weed control of the shoot extract of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and developing a sustainable weed management in organic farming. When the dried shoot powder was mixed with soil and treated with 2 ㎝ above the soil surface, the germination for Echinochloa crus-galli, Digitaria cilialis, Abutilon theophrasti and Amaranthus retroflexus was inhibited maxium 40%. The growth inhibition of germinated seedlings in the A. theophrasti and A. retroflexus was maxium 30% while it was less than 30% in the E. crus-galli and D. cilialis. Shoot extracts at rates above 25 ㎎ ml -1 was effective to inhibit germination of D. cilialis, A. theophrasti and A. retroflexus. The shoot extract concentration required for 50% of germination inhibition was 60 ㎎ ml -1 in the E. crus-galli, while it was less than 10 ㎎ ml -1 in the D. cilialis, A. theophrasti and A. retroflexus. For the foliar application, 11 adjuvants were tested at 0.5% and DOS70, TM15 and TDE7 were most effective adjuvants for the shoot extracts. DOS70 was most effective and provided up to 60% of weed control efficacy for the tested four weed species. Though herbicidal efficacy of sorghum shoot was not enough to give a proper weed control, it can be expected that long term use of sorghum shoots can provide gradual decrease in weed seeds and weed density.