Influence of Different Weed Control Methods on Weed Density and Relative Importance Value of Weeds in Mango Ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.)

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in the early cropping seasons of 2016 and 2017 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (07° 20ʹN , 3° 23ʹE 159 m above sea level) in a derive savannah agro ecology region of South-western Nigeria to evaluate the effect of weed control methods on weed density and weed species composition in mango ginger. Ten weed control methods were evaluated and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data collected on weed density were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and treatment means separated using 5% least significant difference (LSD at p ≤ 0.05). Data collected on weed species composition were used to compute relative importance value (RIV). At 8 WAP, there was 48.51 to 96.55% reduction in weed density relative to the maximum on the weedy check plots as a result of different weed control methods. At 24 WAP, there was 34.48% to 55.17% reduction in number of weed species relative to the maximum on the weedy check plots as a result of different weed control methods. Our findings revealed reduction in the dominance of Chromolaena odorata, Commelina benghalensis, Mariscus alternifolius, Passiflora foetida, Perotis indica and Triumpheta cordifolia with the use of oxyfluorfen (oxy) as pre-emergence herbicide. However, further research is needed to prevent the dominance of Panicum maximum in mango ginger.