The Herbicidal Activity of Spider Plant, Cleome Gynandra L., Plant Tissue on Weeds in Sweet Pepper (Capsicum Annuum) and Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum)

The indiscriminate use of synthetic fumigants is hazardous to farmers, consumers and the environment at large. This provided an interest in, and research on, biofumigation using different spider plant, Cleome gynandra, plant tissue on weeds in the laboratory and field trials. Two different biofumigant crops (green and purple spider plant) and four weed species (Rottetboelia cocchinensis, Setaria verticillata, Amaranthus hybridus and Bidens pilosa) were studied as model organisms in the laboratory. The other set of experiments was done in the field and inoculated with various weed species. In the laboratory study, the herbicidal activity of C. gynandra plant tissue was studied using three different levels on weight to volume basis, using a completely randomised design. The results showed that Setaria verticillata, Amaranthus hybridus and Bidens pilosa were significantly reduced in their early growth and biomass by the different C. gynandra plant tissues. In the field, the use of C. gynandra plant tissue as treatment increased field yields of the crop plants infected with different weed species. The weed species in the field were significantly reduced on the weed evenness on plots which had C. gynandra plant tissue as compared to the untreated controls. This study provides important information for choosing a green manure crop with the purpose of managing weeds.