Abstract

Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon of chemical interaction between plants, and this phenomenon has great potential to be used as an effective and environmentally friendly tool for weed control in field crops. The present experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from November 2022 to May 2023 to study the allelopathic effects of leaf residues of Albizia Lebbeck (Kooroi) on weed growth and yield performance of boro rice. The field experiment consisted of two rice varieties viz., BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan29, and five treatments of leaf residues Albizia lebbeck such as 0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 t ha^-1. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Nine weed species belonging to seven families infested the experimental plots. Weed density was significantly affected by the variety and residues treatment. Weed dry weight was significantly affected by the variety and residues treatment at 50 days after transplanting (DAT) but non-significantly affected by the variety at 25 DAT. The minimum weed growth was found in BRRI dhan29 when leaf residues were applied at the rate of 3.0 t ha^-1, while the maximum was found in BRRI dhan28 with the application of 0 t ha^-1 leaf residues (Control). Therefore, Albizia lebbeck residue may be used as an alternative tool for weed management effectively for sustainable crop production.