Effect of Biofertilizers and Metribuzin on Weeds and Yield of Tomato

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the biofertilizers Azotobacter chroococcum and Pseudomonas fluorescens with metribuzin in soil on growth and development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in competition with weeds. An experimental design of randomized complete blocks with 13 treatments and 3 replicates was performed. Three levels of metribuzin including 500, 1000 and 1500 g ha−1 were soil inoculated. The results reveal that tomato could better grow (considering the morphological and physiological characteristics) in competition with weeds when the biofertilizers and low doses of metribuzin are used interactively. The biofertilizers decreased the environmental stress of competition with weeds on tomato and showed no significantly positive effect on the dry weight of weeds. All the crop characteristics were significantly influenced by the biofertilizer treatments. It could be concluded that tomato survives better under the stress derived from weeds competition when biofertilizers and lower doses of metribuzin are applied.