Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) interference in onions (Allium cepa L. ‘Yellow Granex PRR’) was studied at different weed densities and periods of interference. Onion yields were reduced when the highest density (360/m2) of common sunflower interference with onions from 6 weeks after emergence and when sunflower at densities of 50/m2 and 5/m2 interfered for 12 and 15 weeks after emergence, respectively. Yield was not reduced if the crop was kept weed-free for 2 to 12 weeks after emergence with the shortest weed-free periods of 2 and 6 weeks requiring high light irradiance and high soil temperature and intermediate soil moisture. Climatic factors were more useful than weed density in explaining differential interference of sunflower in onions. Onion yield was negatively linearly correlated (P<0.05) with sunflower fresh weight, but was not linearly correlated with sunflower height.