Cultural control of yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) in transplanted cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) by varying application timing and type of thin-film mulches

Irrigated field trials were conducted in Tifton, GA, at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station to determine the effectiveness of thin-film mulch application times and mulching materials in suppressing yellow nutsedge in transplanted cantaloupe production. Thin-film mulches were applied to freshly tilled seedbeds the day of transplanting, 1, 2, and 3 weeks prior to transplanting. Mulching materials were clear, black, and white on black low-density polyethylene (LDPE), along with a non-covered (bareground) control. Yellow nutsedge emergence in transplanted cantaloupe was suppressed by the combined effects of a physical barrier provided by thin-film mulches and competitive size differential provided by using cantaloupe transplants. All of the thin-film mulches applied to freshly prepared seedbeds either the day of transplanting or 1 week before transplanting effectively suppressed yellow nutsedge in transplanted cantaloupe production, without the need for fumigants or herbicides. Yellow nutsedge suppression in bareground seedbeds freshly prepared within 1 week of transplanting was nearly as effective as suppression from thin-film mulches. Seedbed preparation and applying thin-film mulch 2 or 3 weeks before transplanting did not effectively suppress yellow nutsedge and cantaloupe yields were reduced. In systems where soil fumigation and herbicide use are not possible, yellow nutsedge can be effectively suppressed and crop yields protected by applying thin-film mulches immediately prior to transplanting cantaloupe.