مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Weed Control and Crop Production Practices in Cotton Production in Diyarbakır Province of Turkey

Abstract :

Cotton agriculture is very important in South Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Weeds are a major problem in cotton farming systems. In this study, a survey was conducted in Diyarbakır Province of Turkey to evaluate weed management practices being opted, crop production methods in use, most important weed species and major production problems in the region. Moreover, effect of agricultural extension activities on weed control was investigated. For this purpose, over 75 cotton growers were surveyed by a questionnaire. The questionnaire included 15 questions about crop rotation, tillage systems, irrigation and weed management methods being applied by these growers in cotton production. Moreover, growers were surveyed about the most common weeds that they faced in cotton fields. The survey results showed that the most common weeds in cotton production fields were Xanthium strumarium L. (common coclebur), Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. (johnsongrass), Amaranthus retroflexus L. (common amaranth), Cynodon dactylon (bermudagrass), Physalis spp. (ground cherry) [Physalis philadelphica Lam. (mexican groundcherry) and Physalis angulata L. (cutleaf groundcherry)] , Solanum nigrum L. (black nightshade), Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane), Cyperus rotundus L. (nutgrass). Most growers used pre-emergence and post emergence herbicides before planting and in the season. The preceding crops of cotton were cotton (63.4%), wheat (18.3%) and maize (16.9%). The tillage system used was commonly conventional tillage method including moldboard plough in the autumn and two times cultivator and planking before planting. Over 70% of growers stated that tillage system significantly influenced the weed population. This study suggests that it is very important to research and choose the suitable crop production and weed management practices for region conditions.