Period of Weed Interference in Bean With Nitrogen Fertilizer

Lorena R. S. Peres,Pedro Luis da C. A. Alves,Serena Capriogli Oliveira,Neriane Hijano

doi:10.5539/jas.v11n5p381

Abstract

The competition between weeds and bean plants, mainly by nutrients of the environment, is one of the main causes of low crop yield. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the extension of the period prior to interference (PPI) in common beans, cultivar TAA GOL. Sowing was performed in conventional system. The treatments were divided into two groups: cover nitrogen fertilization (200 kg urea ha-1) and no cover fertilization. Within each area, we established periods of cohabitation of the crop with weeds from the emergence up to seven times of its life cycle (0-10, 0-20, 0-30, 0-40, 0-50, 0-60, 0-70 days) and a control. The experiment design was randomized blocks with three replicates. Digitaria spp. presented a greater relative importance in both areas, followed by Eleusine indica. The period prior to weed interference (PPI) in the area with nitrogen fertilization occurred up to 46 days after emergence (DAE), and only up to 3 DAE for the area without cover fertilization. There was a 30% decrease in bean productivity by comparing the area with nitrogen fertilization (2,004.79 kg ha-1) and the area without nitrogen fertilization (1,412.43 kg ha-1). Therefore, nitrogen fertilization increased crop yield and favored it competitively in relation to weeds by increasing the weed PPI.

Highlights

Brazil is among the world’s top three bean producers 3,389 million tons are expected in the 2018 harvest (IBGE, 2018)
Competition is the best-known form of direct interference of weeds in agricultural crops, the resources most often leading to competition are nutrients, light, water and space (Pitelli, 1987)
There are three important periods of coexistence analyzed by interference studies, as Pitelli and Durigan (1984) have proposed: total interference prevention period (PTPI), pre-interference period (PPI) and critical prevention interference period (CPIP)

Summary

Introduction

Brazil is among the world’s top three bean producers 3,389 million tons are expected in the 2018 harvest (IBGE, 2018). The mean yield is approximately 1,069 kg ha-1, relatively low considering the possibility of obtaining an average of 3,483 kg ha-1. Among the causes of such a low crop yield, weed interference stands out as it may affect bean growth, development and productivity (Patil et al, 2014). Bean yield losses caused by weeds may range from 25% to 77% depending on the crop and the environment (Osipitan et al, 2016). Competition is the best-known form of direct interference of weeds in agricultural crops, the resources most often leading to competition are nutrients, light, water and space (Pitelli, 1987). There are three important periods of coexistence analyzed by interference studies, as Pitelli and Durigan (1984) have proposed: total interference prevention period (PTPI), pre-interference period (PPI) and critical prevention interference period (CPIP)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion