Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T15:16:06.187Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of competition with weeds on the growth, development and yield of sorghum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. P. Everaarts
A. P. Everaarts
Affiliation:
Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS), Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, SurinameDepartment of Tropical Crop Science and Department of Vegetation Science, Plant Ecology and Weed Science, Agricultural University, Bornsesteeg 69, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

In two field experiments in Suriname, competition between weeds and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) was studied in the rainy seasons of 1982 and 1983. The crop was kept either weed-free or without weed control for each of six different periods of time from planting. Observations made at the end of each period allowed an analysis to be made of the growth and development of a crop with and without weed control.

Due to the crop canopy structure and fertilizer placement near the row, weed growth was concentrated in the rows. Starting at c. 20–30 days after planting, competition with weeds reduced ground-cover and leaf area index of the crop. Competition reduced growth rates, leading to lower yields. Plant population density was not affected, but competition reduced the number of leaves present. Stem length initially increased with competition in one season, but was retarded in another. Competition for nutrients was strong and was found as early as 15 days after planting. Nitrogen was the element most competed for initially. Competition for water occurred, but competition for light seemed unlikely. About 20 weed-free days after planting were necessary to avoid yield losses and around 30 weed-free days to attain negligible weed growth at harvest. Yield reduction was mainly due to a decrease in number of grains per panicle. Competition during floret establishment (c. 30–40 days after planting) should be avoided.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 120 , Issue 2 , April 1993 , pp. 187 - 196
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abraham, C. T. & Singh, S. P. (1984). Weed management in sorghum–legume intercropping systems. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 103, 103–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bebawi, F. F. & Farah, A. F. (1981). Effects of parasitic and non-parasitic weeds on sorghum. Experimentaln Agriculture 17, 415–.Google Scholar
Boxman, O., Goense, D., Janssen, B. H., Neeteson, J. J. & Wienk, J. F. (1985). The effect of moisture stress on the response to nitrogen by maize in the humid tropics of Suriname. In Nitrogen Management in Farming Systems in Humid and Subhumid Tropics (Eds Kang, B. T. & Heide, J. van der), pp. 199–214. Haren: Institute for Soil Fertility; Ibadan: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.Google Scholar
Burnside, O. C. & Wicks, G. A. (1967). The effect of weed removal treatments on sorghum growth. Weeds 15, 204–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burnside, O. C. & Wicks, G. A. (1969). Influence of weed competition on sorghum growth. Weed Science 17, 332–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chaudhuri, U. N. & Kanemasu, E. T. (1982). Effect of water gradient on sorghum growth, water relations and yield. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 62, 599–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doorenbos, J. & Pruitt, W. O. (1977). Crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 24. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Enyi, B. A. C. (1973). An analysis of the effect of weed competition on growth and yield attributes in sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), and green gram (Vigna aureus). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 81, 449–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Escasinas, A. B. & Escalada, R. G. (1980). Effect of different methods and timing of weed control on the yield and yield components of grain sorghum. Annals of Tropical Research 2, 156–164.Google Scholar
Everaarts, A. P. (1992 a). Response of weeds to the method of fertilizer application on low fertility acid soils in Suriname. Weed Research 32, 391–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everaarts, A. P. (1992 b). Effects of competition with weeds on growth, development and yield of groundnuts. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 40, 73–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everaarts, A. P. (1992 c). Effects of competition with weeds on growth, development and yield of soybeans. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 40, 91–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everaarts, A. P. (1992 d). Response of weeds to application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on low fertility acid soils in Suriname. Weed Research 32, 385–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, P. L., Steiner, J. L. & Wiese, A. F. (1988). Light absorption and competition in mixed sorghum–pigweed communities. Agronomy Journal 80, 415–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamdoun, A. M. (1977). Competitive effects of weeds upon growth and yield of cotton, groundnuts and sorghum in the Kenana area of the Sudan. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection 84, 509–515.Google Scholar
Heemst, H. D. J. van (1985). The influence of weed competition on crop yield. Agricultural Systems 18, 81–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ishag, H. M. (1968). Effects of weed control on yields of irrigated sorghum in the Sudan Gezira. PANS (C) 14, 34–41.Google Scholar
Jayakumar, R., Siddeswaran, K., Kempuchetty, N. & Subramanian, S. (1987). Studies on nitrogen and weed management in relation to nutrient uptake and yield in sorghum. Madras Agricultural Journal 74, 21–25.Google Scholar
Korwar, G. R. & Friesen, G. H. (1985). In-the-row weed management in sorghum. Tropical Pest Management 31, 24–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machado, J. R., Salati Marcondes, D. L., Nakagawa, J. & Rosolem, C. A. (1985). Efeitos da concorrência de ervas daninhas na producâo do sorgo granifero. Pesquisa Agropecuària Brasileira 20, 667–676.Google Scholar
Manjarrez-Sandoval, P., González-Hernández, V. A., Mendoza-Onofre, L. E. & Engleman, E. M. (1989). Drought stress effects on the grain yield and panicle development of sorghum. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 69, 631–641.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marrewijk, G. A. M. van (1974). Ontwikkeling en opbrengst van een aantal kortstengelige sorghumhybriden. De Surinaamse Landbouw 22, 34–39.Google Scholar
Ndahi, W. B. (1986). Evaluation of moderate rates of herbicides with or without supplementary weeding for weed control in sorghum in three ecological zones of Nigeria. Tropical Agriculture 63, 240–244.Google Scholar
Sankaran, S. & Mani, V. S. (1972). Effect of weed growth on nutrient uptake and seed yield of sorghum (var: CSH-1). Indian Journal of Weed Science 4, 23–28.Google Scholar
Sankaran, S. & Mani, V. S. (1974). Comparative efficiency of physical, chemical and combination methods of weed control in grain sorghum. Madras Agricultural Journal 61, 344–352.Google Scholar
Singh, S. P., Singh, M. & Singh, H. (1975). Relative efficacy of weedicides in controlling the weeds of grain sorghum. Indian Journal of Agricultural Science 45, 98–100.Google Scholar
Stickler, F. C., Wearden, S. & Pauli, A. W. (1961). Leaf area determination in grain sorghum. Agronomy Journal 53, 187–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terpstra, R. & Kouwenhoven, J. K. (1981). Inter-row and intra-row weed control with a hoe-ridger. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 26, 127–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wienk, J. F. & Fung Kon Sang, W. E. (1990). Crops. In Mechanized Annual Cropping on Low Fertility Acid Soils in the Humid Tropics. A Case Study of the Zanderij Soils in Suriname (Eds Janssen, B. H. & Wienk, J. F.), pp. 120–150. Wageningen Agricultural University Papers, 90.5, 1–230.Google Scholar