Preemergence herbicide application under plastic mulch is an effective strategy for managing weeds in vegetable plasticulture production. However, applying herbicides under plastic mulch in raised beds carries the inherent risk of crop phytotoxicity. This underscores the importance of exploring crop-safe methods for herbicide application in beds covered with plastic mulch. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preemergence herbicide S-metolachlor alone or in combination with super absorbent polymer, soil binding agent, or compost in effectively controlling weeds in plastic mulched tomato beds without impacting the crops. During trials, I and II, preemergence S-metolachlor was applied either as blanket sprays or in combination with super absorbent polymer, soil binding agent, and compost on raised beds before installing plastic mulch. Results from trial II showed that S-metolachlor soil binding agent and S-metolachlor compost mix suppressed weed density by over 85% and 68%, respectively. Similarly, treatments including S-metolachlor alone, S-metolachlor super absorbent polymer, S-metolachlor soil binding agent, and S-metolachlor compost led to a reduction in weed biomass by over 50% compared to the non-treated control. Importantly, these treatments did not significantly impact tomato crop vigor and chlorophyll content during trials I and II, nor did they affect tomato crop biomass and yield. In conclusion, utilizing preemergence S-metolachlor along with different application approaches tested shows promise for controlling tough weeds such as nutsedge in tomato plasticulture beds.
