Comparative assessment of mulching and herbicide treatments for weed management in Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) cultivation

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a commercially important natural sweetener plant and a boon to the diabetics. Unfortunately, its cultivation faces several abiotic and biotic constraints. Among the biotic ones, the most important is its poor competition with the weeds which culminates in 2-25% yield penalty and further raises the cultivation and production cost. Hence, weed management for successful Stevia cultivation is a major challenge faced by Stevia-farmers. Present study aimed at assessing the effects of mulching (organic and synthetic) and herbicides treatments for efficient weed control and improving the yield of Stevia. Maximum weed control was recorded with herbicides spray while significant improvement in plant growth characteristics like, plant height (98.2 cm average), branch number (5.1 plant−1), leaf number (415 plant−1) and dry weight were recorded in plots treated with rice straw (organic mulch: @ 15t. h−1). Maximum leaf biomass was recorded in plots treated with eucalyptus leaves (organic mulch: @ 15t. h−1) during the year 2017. It is concluded that herbicide spray controlled the weed growth while the crop yield and growth parameters were successfully enhanced by the use of mulche(s), in both the years (2017–18). Meticulous use of mulches or mulch plus limited herbicide(s) application for weed control, may ensure sustainable agriculture and shall ultimately decrease the dependability on synthetic herbicides.