Weed management in kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis × Citrus deliciosa) orchards using various orchard floor management practices in sub-mountainous region of Punjab, India

The study was carried out to ascertain the influence of different floor management practices in kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis × Citrus deliciosa) orchard on weed infestation, fruit yield and quality under sub-mountainous zone of Punjab state of India. Six years old kinnow mandarin plants were subjected to different treatments, viz. clean cultivation, weed management with herbicide, mowing of weeds, black polyethylene mulch, silver polyethylene mulch, subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf mulch and control (weedy check). No weed growth occurred under synthetic mulches (black and silver polyethylene mulches). The mulching with leaves of subabul plant and the locally abundantly available wild species also exhibited significant reduction in grassy and broad-leaved weeds density and biomass. The fruit yield and quality attributing characteristics were significantly higher under black polyethylene mulch with maximum fruit size (6.29 cm length × 7.74 cm breadth), fruit weight (160.13 g) and the yield (71.63 kg/plant). Fruit quality (10.72UB) in terms of total sugars and ascorbic acid (TSS), vitamin C (40.28 mg/100g pulp) was also significantly better with black polythene mulch followed by silver polyethylene mulch and subabul leaves mulch.