INTRODCTION
Coffee is one of the world’s largest traded commodity in over sixty countries therefore being a livelihood provider to over 25,000,000 families around the world. In Kenya, the coffee sector is one of the major employers. It contributes to an approximate of 5% revenue It covers an approximate land area of 170,000 hactares. It is grown between altitudes of 1,400 to 2100 metres above sea level.
GOOD CULTURAL PRACTICES
Growing healthy coffee plants with well balanced fertilization helps vigorous growth in the early years hence enabling the young bushes to compete better with weeds for space, light, nutrients and water. Planting at high density of improved varieties is very beneficial as it aims for bush canopy to close early.
WEEDS IN COFFEE OVERVIEW
Weeds are a major problem in many crops and coffee is not an exception. They infest these crops in nurseries to established plantations where a large number of perrenial and annual weeds grow. The commonly found weeds in coffe include,pig weed, blackjack, gallant soldier Mexican marigold,wandering jew,nutgrass, love grass,couch grass, star grass just to mention a few.
WEED MANAGEMENNT
The major reason for reducing or eliminating weeds is to aler vegetation balance to beneficialand neutral plant. Understanding which weedy plants are harmful and regular monitoring and knowing when and how to manage the different weed types most effectively is vital. Working out the best combinations of methods to develop a flexible but effective strategy for a particular farm is required.
Methods of weed control
- Use of shade trees: shade trees help to reduce weed growth. The organic matter generated from thewe trees leaf fall and pruning forms natural mulch cover which is effective in inhibiting weded growth.
- Polycropping : companion crops such as beans,contribute to inhibit wed growth when planted between coffee rows in initial growth.
- Dead mulching: this is composed of cropwaste such as beans, maize, grass cuttings, and herbaceous plant material can be scattered over the soil and it also inhibits weed growh.
- Manual weed contol: this method need to concentrate on total weed removal in the coffee drip zone, between rows. This method is important as it achieves good control over weeds and material removed decays and becomes compost. This should be practiced in the first two years.
- Chemical control with herbicides: this offers advantages over manual weeding in speed and effectiveness. herbicides should be applied when target weeds are small( 2 to 3 leaf stage)and it should be targeted and selective.
- Glyphosate: n-phosphonomethyl glycine ia a non selective broad spectrum systemi postemergence herbicide that has been used extensively throughout the whole world for the last three decades. It inhibits the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids which leads o several metaolic disturbances including inhition of proteins and secondary product biosynthesis. as GREENLIFE we offer you CLAMPDOWN and CATAPULT for weed control in your farm at a rate of 200ml/ 20l plus integra 3mls/20l the following are the advantages of using these products:
CATAPULT® 480 SL is a broad spectrum non-selective systemic herbicide for the control of post-emergence broadleaf and grass weeds in maize field under minimum tillage or zero tillage and in non-cropped areas.
- It is cost effective as you use one litre to weed an acre
- It clears all type of weeds leaving clean ground for long periods. Once or twice an year
- It is fast in terms of time saving. Weeding is done effectively in one day as compared to other methods
- Using clampdown or catapult is economical moneywise as compared to other methods of weed control.
