Determination of Density and Frequency of Weeds in Commercial Crops of Hamur District of Ağrı, Türkiye

Abstract

Weeds not only cause yield and quality losses in cultivated plants but also hinder harvesting. To effectively reduce these negative effects, it's crucial to identify the weed species and choose the most appropriate control method. Conducting regular surveys in areas where crops are grown is essential for this purpose. This study was carried out to determine the weed types, densities, and frequency of occurrence in barley, wheat, alfalfa, sainfoin, and vetch cultivation areas, which are widely cultivated in the Hamur district of Ağrı province in 2022. In addition, face-to-face surveys were conducted with 100 different producers who cultivate these cultivated plants. During the surveys, 63 different weed species belonging to 19 families were determined throughout the district. At the level of cultivated plants, the highest number of weed species were found to be 42 species belonging to 17 families in sainfoin, 31 species belonging to 14 families in wheat, 27 species belonging to 13 families in barley, 25 species belonging to 16 families in alfalfa, and 18 weed species belonging to 12 families in vetch. Weeds with a higher incidence compared to cultivated plants were Convolvulus arvensis L. in the wheat, Cardaria draba L. (65%) in the barley, Convolvulus arvensis L. (55%) in the sainfoin, Tragopogon pratensis L. (45%) in the alfalfa, and Tragopogon pratensis L. (60%) in the vetch cultivation areas. In the face-to-face surveys conducted within the scope of the study, 65% of the farmers stated that weeds are the most important plant protection problem in agricultural production areas. The majority of the producers reported that they preferred the mechanical control method against these weeds.