Efficacy of Methyl Metsulfuron Herbicide against Weeds on Oil Palm Lands (Elaeis Guineensis Jacq.) Producing Plants

Abstract

Efforts to increase the productivity of oil palm continue to be carried out, especially in the field of cultivation technology, one of which is by controlling weeds chemically (herbicide with active ingredient methyl metsulfuron). This study aims to determine the dose of methyl metsulfurone herbicide which is effective in controlling weeds in yielding oil palm plants, to determine changes in the composition of weeds on the yielding oil palm plant plates after the application of methyl metsulfurone herbicide, and to determine the effect of methyl methsulfurone herbicide application on yielding oil palm plants. This study used a randomized block design (RBD) with 7 treatments and 4 replications with the following dosages of methyl metsulfurone 20 g/ha, 26,6 g/ha, 33.2 g /ha, 40 g/ha, 46.6 g/ha, weeding mechanically and without control/control. Homogeneity of various data was tested using the Bartlett test, the additivity of the data was tested by the Tukey test, and the difference in the mean treatment was tested by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at the 5% level. The results of the study showed that the herbicide methyl metsulfuron dose 20 – 46,6 g/ha was effective in controlling total weeds, broadleaf weeds, Asystasia gangetica and Borreria alata weeds up to 12 weeks after application, the dose was 26,6 – 46,6 g/ha is effective in controlling weeds of grass and Ottochloa nodosa weeds only at 12 MSA, doses 20 – 46,6 g/ha cause changes in weed composition at 4, 8 and 12 MSA, and doses of 20 - 46.6 g / ha do not cause poisoning against oil palm plants.