New approach to use rice straw waste for weed control. II. The effect of rice straw extract and fusilade (Herbicide) on some weeds infesting soybean (Glysin max L.)

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to study the combined effect of rice straw extract and fusillade herbicide on some aggressive grasses (i.e. Echinochloa crus-galli L. & Echinochloa colonum L.) associated with 3 soybean varieties. The fusillade herbicide (40 g/ feddan) and methanol extract of rice straw (3.47-13.9 g/L) were sprayed as post-emergence either alone or in combination. Spraying fusillade alone was more effective in suppressing (50 - 78%) growth and development of the two weeds than applying rice straw extract alone; irrespective of the rate of application. Applying fusillade in combination with rice straw particularly at the lowest (3.47 g/L) and moderate (6.95 g/L) doses were the most effective treatments by all means of suppressing weed growth as well as increasing vegetative growth and yield productivity of soybeans. Combined fusillade with rice straw extract at the highest rate (13.9 g/ L) showed severe toxicity against soybean growth a nd yield productivity. It has suggested that the rice straw might open the door for new strategy for controlling the aggression of grassy weeds in soybean.