EFFICACY OF COCONUT VINEGAR AS HERBICIDE ON PURPLE NUTSEDGE (Cyrus ronunch)

Coconut vinegar has been reported to have herbicidal activity and can be used as an alternative herbicide for purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus). This study was conducted to know the delicacy of coconut vinegar as herbicide on purple nutsedge. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used with five (5) treatments and replicated five (5) times. The treatments were as follows: T1 - Control (0% coconut vinegar), T2 - 10% coconut vinegar, T3 - 30% coconut vinegar, T4 - 50% coconut vinegar and TS - Glyphosate. Germination percentage, survival percentage. days to germination, weed height, weed weight and number of tubers were highly significant at 1% level. Germination percentage and weed height of purple nutsedge decrease as the concentration of coconut vinegar increases, Germination percentage ranges from 50.20 to 63.40%, while weed height ranges from 10.27 to 11.70 cm. Glyphosate herbicide was the most effective on controlling purple nutsedge, whereas 30% and 50% coconut vinegar follow. Among the coconut vinegar treatments, application of 30% coconut vinegar has comparable results with application of 50% coconut vinegar, thus, 30% coconut vinegar is the most cost-effective option in controlling purple nutsedge due to its lower concentration. Therefore, 30% coconut vinegar is recommended as an alternative to the synthetic Glyphosate herbicide as a preemergence herbicide. It is also recommended to conduct a similar study on fields with standing crops.