CONVENTIONAL AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF GENUS Euphorbia WEEDS: AN INSIGHT

Euphorbia esula L. (leafy spurge), E. geniculata Forssk. (painted spurge), E. heliescopia L. (sunspurge), E. hirta L. (pill bearing spurge), E. heterophylla L. (wild poinsettia) and E. microphylla B. Heyne ex Roth (Box-leaved Barberry) are the most damaging Euphorbia weed species found in pastures, rangelands, grasslands and field crops in Pakistan. Herbicides like picloram, dicamba, 2, 4-D, glyphosate, quinclorac, sulfometuron, clopyralid, diflufenzopyr are effective in controlling Euphorbia species in pastures, grasslands and rangelands. Oxadiazon, chlorimuron, pendimethalin, 2, 4-D, sulfosulfuron, metribuzin, metsulfuron-methyl, fluroxypyr, fluchloralin, trifluralin, bispyribac-sodium, penoxsulam, glyphosate, chloransulam-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, imazethapyr, fomesafen, lactofen, flumiclorac-pentyl, bentazone, carfentrazone-ethyl, imazipic, amicarbazone, sulfentrazone, mesotrione, ametryn, atrazine, diuron, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, oxyflurofen and prometryn gave an efficient control of Euphorbia species in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Metrill, Chilli (Capsicum annum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), mustard (Brassica juncea L.), citrus, rice (Oryza sativa L.), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Addition of N and adjuvant to herbicides has potential for improved control of Euphorbia species. Innovative herbicide application methods like roller applicator, nontrope pipewick applicator, ropewick applicator and microfoil nozzle boom could reduce herbicide input by 50% without compromising level of control. Antennaria microphylla has been reported to be allelopathic to Euphorbia spp. Grass competition (crested wheatgrass, pubescent wheatgrass, reliant intermediate wheatgrass, Russian wild rye and rebound smooth brome) have been recognized as an effective way to control Euphorbia spp.