1. TITLE: EFFICACY OF COMMANDER (Oxyfluorfen) IN THE MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS IN ONIONS Project to be conducted by: NAME: ANDREW NZUKI MANZOLO Reg. No.: A22/0058/2009 Course: Bsc. Agriculture (Crop Protection major) Supervisor: Prof. J.W Kimenju Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi.

2.  Red Creole is the variety of onion widely grown and consumed in Kenya.  It’s optimal production is limited by poor, little or no management of weeds.  Negative effects of weeds in onions: stunted growth, triggers initiation of onion bulbs in vegetative stage and alternate hosts for pest and diseases in onions.  Therefore, it’s necessary to control weeds in onions to avoid huge crop loss.  Currently, use of GALIGAN (oxyfluorfen) in management of weeds in onions has shown negative effects-low yields

3. Weeds are a major limiting factor in onion production-resistance. Galigan (50ml/20ml)-has not been effective in control of weeds in onions Justification Find a new and effective rate of application of oxyfluorfen.

4. General objectives  To manage weeds in onions effectively using oxyfluorfen to increase yields in onions Specific objectives  To come up with a suitable rate of application of oxyfluorfen to control weeds in onions  To produce clean and quality onion produce due to absence of weeds  To compare the action of COMMANDER(test herbicide) with GALIGAN(Standard herbicide)

5. COMMANDER(Oxyfluorfen)-test herbicide Onion seedlings (Red Creole) Marker tapes and strings 16 liter knapsack sprayer Marker supporters Fungicide (Master 72) Insecticide (TWIGA ACE) Fertilizer-D.A.P, C.A.N and N.P.K

6.  Field layout: plots 2 by 2M (17 by 7M)  Spacing: inter-plot spacing 0.5M, onion spacing 6-10 cm, inter-row spacing 30cm  Number of onion plants per plot 140

7. BLOCK 1 T4T3T5T1T6T7T2 BLOCK 3 T3T7T6T4T1T5T2 BLOCK 2 T2T5T1T3T6T7T4 Applied treatments T1 will be weed throughout T2 will be weed free T3 will be farmers practice T4 will be 43.4 ml COMMANDER in 20l of water T5 will be 65ml COMMANDER in 20l of water T6 will be 86.6 ml COMMANDER in 20l of water and T7 will be 50ml of GALIGAN in 20l of water

8.  The weed data will be taken after every two weeks until the 4 th data.  Weeds to be sampled: narrow leafed(star grass, love grass and sedges), broad leafed (datura, gallant soldier, o. latifolia, amaranthus, wandering jew and targetes minuta)  Details of data will include: spp of the weed, No. of each weed spp, height of each weed, survival rate of onions after treatment, scoring for chlorosis, twisting of onion leaves and stunted growth.

9. 20122013 ActivityDecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarchApril Writing proposal√ Proposal presentation√ Experiment setup√ Agronomic practices√√√√√ Data collection√√√√ Data analysis√ Project report writing√

10. ItemUnit cost (Ksh)QuantityTotal cost (Ksh) Onion seedlings12940 seedlings2,940 D.A.P902 kg180 C.A.N702 kg140 N.P.K752 kg150 Mark tape1001 piece100 Fungicide (master 72) 6001 kg600 Insecticide (TWIGA ACE( 400100 ml400 Labor41215 days6,315 Total10,825