Improving Weed Control through the Synergy of Waste Wood-based Panels Pyrolysis Liquid and Rice Husks: A Sustainable Strategy

Synergistic effects of herbicidal rice husks and pyrolysis liquid from waste wood-based panels were studied relative to the germination of three common weed species in a tea plantation. The pyrolysis liquid consisted of various organic acids, phenols, alcohols, ketones, and nitrogen compounds, with organic acids accounting for up to 46.8% of the content. Three seeds of smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum), annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus), and hedge-parsley (Torilis scabra (Thunb.) DC) were treated with 2000 and 4000 L/ha of pyrolysis liquid, as well as 50, 100, and 200 m(3)/ha of pyrolysis liquid as a cover material. The pre-emergence herbicide tests demonstrated that the combination of rice husks and pyrolysis liquid effectively inhibited seed germination and aboveground biomass of the weeds. The weed control effect increased with the increase in the amount applied. The combination of rice husks (200 m(3)/ha) and pyrolysis liquid (4000 L/ha) exhibited the highest weed control efficacy, reducing seed germination and aboveground biomass by 69.1%, 79.5%, and 97.6% for smooth crabgrass, annual fleabane, and hedge-parsley, respectively. Discarded furniture materials and rice husks can both be used as sustainable materials for weed control, offering a fresh approach to the efficient utilization of waste materials.