Magnetized irrigation water: a method for improving the efficacy of pre-emergence-applied metribuzin

The yield of many crops can be increased by irrigating them with magnetically treated water (MTW). The aim of our research was to determine if the efficacy of a soil-applied herbicide such as metribuzin against weeds could be affected by MTW. A split-plot ran-domized complete block experiment was designed with two main plots, including potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) irrigated with equal volumes of MTW and non-MTW. Sub-plots were weedy control, weed-free control (hand-weeded), and pre-emergence application of metribuzin at 420 and 525 g a.i. middot ha-1. Generally, MTW induced the seed germination and vegetative growth of Amaranthus blitoides S.Watson and Convolvulus arvensis L., resulting in a reduction of the total tuber yield of potato from 1.47 to 1.18 kg middot m-2. MTW improved the efficacy of weed control strategies, resulting in an improvement of the total tuber yield and the water use efficiency of potato. The total tuber yield when metribuzin was applied at 420 g a.i. middot ha-1 with MTW (3.51 kg middot m-2) was more than when metribuzin was applied at 525 g a.i. middot ha-1 with non-MT W (2.76 kg middot m-2). It can be concluded that the use of MTW can be a safer crop production method by reducing the required dosage of metribuzin to control weeds. Considering the fact that the use of MTW without herbicide application increased the density of weed species, this method should be limited to a scenario where weeds can be effectively controlled.

Automated summary

The efficacy of soil-applied herbicides can be affected by magnetically treated water (MTW), leading to improved weed control and crop yield. However, the use of MTW may also increase weed species density, requiring caution in its application.