A field experiment was conducted during 1999-2000 and 2000-01 to study the effect of soil Solarization on weed growth in succeeding kharif season sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and the resultant influence on the yield of the crop. The increase insoil temperature was 6.0 to 10.4 deg C and 5.0 to 9.4 deg C with 0.05 and 0.10 mm transparent polyethylene sheets, respectively, over control when solarization was done for 20 to 60 days. There was a significant reduction in weed count and weed dry weight even upto harvest of sunflower due to solarization. Thinner transparent polyethylene sheets (0.05 mm) were better in controlling weeds than thicker ones (0.10 mm). Maximum seed yield was obtained with 0.05 mm sheet for 60 days and was on par with soilsolarization for 40 days with both the thickness with either pendimethalin at 0.5 kg ha~(-1) or one hand weeding at 30 days after sowing and with 0.10 mm sheet for 60 days. This was significantly superior over rest of the treatments including weed free check.
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