Fluorescence and chlorophyll content as indicators of the efficacy of plant extracts of Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Sorghum halepense in weed control

Abstract

Efficient weed control is essential in agricultural production. However, bearing in mind the economic, environmental and health implications of classical chemical weed control, the aim of this study was to test the potential use of plant extract solutions for weed control in wheat. Plant extracts of two widespread and invasive weed species: Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Sorghum halepense were used to test the efficacy of these bioherbicides on three weed species common in wheat fields: Avena fatua, Bromus rigidus and Convolvulus arvensis. Parameters generally used for testing the efficacy of commercial herbicides: relative chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence and pigment content, were used to evaluate the efficacy of plant extract solutions, in a series of concentrations (1, 5, 10 and 20%). Results have shown that plant extracts of both tested species have negative effects on target weed species, with all tested concentrations of these solutions affecting the recorded parameters in B. rigidus and C. arvensis. However, as negative effects of A. artemisiifolia extract solutions were also documented on the crop plants, only plant extracts of S. halepense can be considered as a safe and efficient alternative option for weed control in wheat fields.