<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Weed management is one of the most important and expensive steps in okra production. Field experiments were therefore conducted in the early and late wet seasons of 2015 to evaluate the effectiveness and profitability of weed management using hoe weeding, herbicides or their combination in okra production. Propaben or butachlor at 2.0 kg a.i. (active ingredient) ha–1 followed by (fb) supplementary hoe weeding (shw) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) significantly (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) reduced weed density and biomass with subsequent increase in okra fruit yield similar to three hoe weedings and better than two hoe weedings or either herbicide applied alone in both early and late wet seasons. Although three hoe weedings provided the highest okra fruit yield (3590 and 4102 kg ha–1) and total revenue ($991.7 and $1699.7 ha–1), the gross margin ($186.4 and $931.6 ha–1) and cost-benefit ratio (0.2 and 1.2) obtained were lower than those obtained with herbicide treatments. Highest gross margin ($470.8 and $1224.9 ha–1) and cost-benefit ratio (1.2 and 3.0) in the early and late wet seasons, respectively, were achieved with propaben at 2.0 kg a.i ha–1 fb shw at 6 WAS. The results of this study suggest that integrated weed management with propaben followed by supplementary hoe weeding will improve weed control, productivity and profitability of okra. Multiple hoe weeding, however, did not guarantee highest profit but rather increased the cost of production.</abstract>

Weed management is one of the most important and expensive steps in okra production. Field experiments were therefore conducted in the early and late wet seasons of 2015 to evaluate the effectiveness and profitability of weed management using hoe weeding, herbicides or their combination in okra production. Propaben or butachlor at 2.0 kg a.i. (active ingredient) ha–1 followed by (fb) supplementary hoe weeding (shw) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced weed density and biomass with subsequent increase in okra fruit yield similar to three hoe weedings and better than two hoe weedings or either herbicide applied alone in both early and late wet seasons. Although three hoe weedings provided the highest okra fruit yield (3590 and 4102 kg ha–1) and total revenue ($991.7 and $1699.7 ha–1), the gross margin ($186.4 and $931.6 ha–1) and cost-benefit ratio (0.2 and 1.2) obtained were lower than those obtained with herbicide treatments. Highest gross margin ($470.8 and $1224.9 ha–1) and cost-benefit ratio (1.2 and 3.0) in the early and late wet seasons, respectively, were achieved with propaben at 2.0 kg a.i ha–1 fb shw at 6 WAS. The results of this study suggest that integrated weed management with propaben followed by supplementary hoe weeding will improve weed control, productivity and profitability of okra. Multiple hoe weeding, however, did not guarantee highest profit but rather increased the cost of production.

Efficacy and economics of integrated weed management in okra (<italic>Abelmoschus esculentus</italic> (L.) Moench)

Department of Plant Physiology and Crop Production

Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Efficacy and economics of integrated weed management in okra ( (L.) Moench)

Weed management is one of the most important and expensive steps in okra production. Field experiments were therefore conducted in the early and late wet...

Efficacy and economics of integrated weed management in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

Published Online: Dec 17, 2020

Page range: 199 - 206

Received: Dec 10, 2019

Accepted: Oct 30, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2020-0020

Keywords
herbicides, butachlor, propaben, fruit yield, hoe weeding, weed interference, revenue, cost-benefit ratio

© 2020 Olumide Samuel Daramola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Efficacy and economics of integrated weed management in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

Published Online: Dec 17, 2020

Page range: 199 - 206

Received: Dec 10, 2019

Accepted: Oct 30, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2020-0020

Keywordsherbicides, butachlor, propaben, fruit yield, hoe weeding, weed interference, revenue, cost-benefit ratio

© 2020 Olumide Samuel Daramola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
herbicides, butachlor, propaben, fruit yield, hoe weeding, weed interference, revenue, cost-benefit ratio