Evaluation of the effect of chemical methods, intercropping and mulching on weed control of Field Pumpkin (Cucurbita Pepo)

In order to evaluate the effect of different methods in control of weeds in pumpkin fields, an experiment was conducted based on randomized completely block design with four replications in 2019. Treatments consisted of weed free, complete weeding, mulch (clear and dark plastic), intercropping with quinoa, once weeding and three herbicides: Trifluralin (7.5 liters of commercial material per hectare) before planting and after crop growth, indaziflam (100 ml commercial material per hectare), pendimethalin (6 liters commercial material per hectare). Indaziflam and pendimethalin chemical treatments were applied after emergence on July. Results showed that the dark plastic mulch caused the maximum dry matter (141.4 g/m2) and fresh (289.8 g/m2) weight of pumpkin leaf and the maximum dry matter (78.5 g/m2) and fresh (641.6 g/m2) weight of pumpkin shoot in comparison of other treatments. In addition, dry matter of weeds got decrease up to 90 percent just through by type of dark plastic from mulch treatment and 97 percent by clear one. Furthermore, it caused 49 and 129 percent increasing respectively in fresh and dry matter weight of pumpkin. On condition of chemical control, using Trifluralin herbicide before of planting caused the fruit diameter (13.4 cm), fruit area (46 cm) and seed (35.5 g) dry matter of pumpkin so improved the yield in comparison other chemical treatments. Finally, using different mulching treatment got yield increased up to maximum, proper control of weeds and decreased the environmental pollution through decreasing of chemical materials.