LEAF MULCH OF MUGWDRT (ARTEMISIA DUBIA) TO CONTROL THE

GROWTH OF BARNYARD GRASS ECHINOCLOA CRUS-GALLI IN RICE SEED

BED
1
Parbakhar Poudel
parbakhar@gmail.com

Abstract
Laboratory based pot experiment was carried to examine the effect of leaf mulch of
Artemisia dubia wall ex. Besser (mugwort) on shoot elongation of Echinocloa crusgalli (L)
and rice. Leaf mulch significantly retarded the growth of barnyardgrass. Inhibitory effect of
leaf mulch to seedling growth of barnyardgrass can be used to control its problem on rice
seedbed at the nursery level. This fact further supported the farmer conventional practice,
mulching of mugwort leaf to control the barnyardgrass problem in their rice seedbed.
Keywords: Leaf mulch, rice, barnyardgrass, traditional practices, weed control
INTRODUCTION
Rice is one of the most important food crops of the universe. The increasing population
demand more food and the extent is increasing, in other hand the staple food crops, rice
production is decreasing due to several agricultural problem. Weed infestation is the prime
factor to reduce the rice yield. The losses caused by weed exceed the losses from any other
categories of agricultural pest (Rao 1983). Among different weed, Echinocloa crusgalli (L)
Beauvios (barnyardgrass, local name sama) is the world's principal weed of rice and is
particularly serious problem in Asia (Holm et al. 1977). It a serious problem over 42
countries and is found in at least 27 more (Home et al. 1979). Heavy infestation reduces rice
tillering by 50% and also reduces the number of panicles, height, number, size and weight of
grain (Holm et al. 1977)
Impure seed (mixed with weed seed) is one of the major sources of weed infestation
(Moody, 1994). Barnyardgrass seedlings grow in nursery with rice seedlings and accidentally
transplanted in field, and get chance to grow simultaneously in the same hill competing on
common nutrients with rice. They have similar ecological preference to rice (Yabuno, 1966).
Similar morphological appearance in young condition causes the rice mimicry (Barret, 1983)
which make further complicated to remove by general person. A skilled person is needed
even for handweeding practices. Control of barnyardgrass at nursery level is better than the
removal from transplanted field. Conventionally people are using the leaf mulch of mugwort
to check the barnyardgrass growth in rice seedbed. Present investigation tried to view the
experimental proof beyond this farmer traditional belief.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fresh leaves of plant (Artemisia dubia) materials were collected on the day of experiment and
mulched on earthen pots having similar types of sterilized soil. Test seeds (rice and weed)
were sown alone as well as mixed form in both mulched and control (without mulch)
condition. Weekly lengths of above ground part of seedlings were measured up to 4 weeks.
The obtain data were statistically analyzed.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The promontory effect on rice seedlings elongation and inhibitory effect of barnyardgrass
seedling elongation was obtained. The effect was varied base on age of seedling and cropping
condition. The promotory effect was more prominent in mixed cropping sample as compared
to the alone cropping sample in case of rice (pd significant at p = <0.001), however the
inhibitory effect on barnyard grass was more prominent or alone cropping sample. Such
opposite trend of effect on rice and barnyard grass suggest the effectiveness of leaf mulch to
check the barnyard grass seedling elongation.
The paired difference in alone cropping sample, (significant p=<0.001) of rice and weed
suggest such opposite effect of promotory to one and inhibitory to another. The high gap in
paired difference between control-alone cropping and mulched-alone cropping is the further
proof. In case of Barnyardgrass seedling growth there is not any alternation on effect of
mulch on alone and mixed cropping sample.
Table 1: Effect of mulch of leaves of Artemisia dubia on seedling growth of rice and
barnyardgrass
Age of Length of Rice (cm) Length of Barnyardgrass (cm)
seedlings
Control Mulched Control Mulched

Alone Mixed Alone Mixed Alone Mixed Alone Mixed

1 Week 4.16±1.59 7.74±1.19 11.48±2.29 10.78±1.16 3.92±2.48 6.50±1.58 4.17±0.52 10.30±2.28

2 Weeks 14.22±1.21 12.42±2.97 18.00±3.08 15.34±3.97 5.72±1.47 17.66±2.33 6.88±1.84 15.99±4.65

3 Weeks 19.16±5.96 15.72±6.34 22.12±2.70 24.02±6.05 13.04±2.86 20.50±2.42 11.58±3.55 17.20±4.36

4 Weeks 19.58±1.40 19.84±2.28 22.20±3.11 25.14±1.27 17.16±4.21 21.50±2.50 13.48±1.23 19.34±1.71

Note: ± indicate the standard deviation from the mean value.

Table 2: Paired sample test for seedling elongation of rice and barnyardgrass by the
effect of leaf mulch on different condition.
Paired sample Pd T d.f. p
RCA-RCM 0.35 0.36 19 0.72
RCA-RMA -4.16 -4.23 19 <0.001
RCM-RMM -4.89 -4.82 19 <0.001
BCA-BMA 0.93 1.21 19 0.24
BCM-BMM 0.83 0.86 19 0.002
RCA-BCA 4.32 3.65 19 0.002
RMA-BMA 9.42 13.83 19 <0.001
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2 tailed)
Note: pd = paired differences, d.f.= degree of freedom, p = probability
In paired sample, First letter encodes plants name, R = Rice, B = Barnyardgrass
Second letter encodes treatment, C = Control, M = Mulched
Third letter encodes condition of cropping, M = Mixed, A = Alone
The problem brought by barnyardgrass due to the similar ecological preferences and similar
morphology in young stage (Yabuno, 1966); and rice mimicry (Barret, 1983) in rice field can
be solved by using leaf mulch. Significant promotory effect on rice and inhibitory effect on
barnyardgrass supported this possibility.

CONCLUSION
Leaf mulch of Artemisia dubia retards the seedling elongation of barnyardgrass in nursery
level but slightly promotory towards rice seedling growth.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are grateful to Executive Director of Research Center for Applied Science and
Technology (RECAST), and Head, Central Department of Botany Tribhuvan University,
Nepal for providing necessary Laboratory facilities.
REFERENCES
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