Orange-fleshed potato cultivars’ responsiveness to herbicides and weed species interruption in Njala, Moyamba District, Southern Sierra Leone.

Abstract

The 2019 and 2020 field experiments were established to evaluate pre-emergence herbicides and weed interruption on orange-fleshed potato cultivars’ productivity. The experiment was executed at the Crop Protection Department trial site, Njala University Campus using a strip-plot design in three replications. Results indicated that Button (Diodia scandens) and Rushfoil (Croton hirtus) broadleaved weed species arose as the utmost predominant weed types that showed 58.52% and 25.68% relative density, respectively. Notwithstanding, Mathuthu orange-fleshed cultivar exhibited maximum weed competitive ability (5.14). The application of Prometraine (5 L ha-1) and hand weeding at 4 weeks after planting, revealed maximum herbicide efficiency index (20.65), yield (7.04 t ha-1), net field benefit (SLL 2,564.64), total variable cost (SLL 2,300.00) as well as profitability (113.48%). Therefore, application of Prometraine (5 L ha-1) and supplementary hand weeding at 4 weeks after planting may be acknowledged to farmers as an efficient and cost-effective weed management strategy in orange-fleshed potato cultivars’ productivity.