Abstract
ABSTRACT: This study aimed to identify and quantify the weed species in an area of organic acerola cultivation in the Distrito de Irrigação dos Tabuleiros Litorâneos do Piauí (DITALPI) in Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. Phytosociological sampling was completed in the rainy season, before the farmers adopted management techniques for the plants. Thirty plots of 0.25 m2 were sampled. The plots were located between crop rows, which consisted of herbaceous-subshrub plants. The absolute and relative covers and the absolute and relative frequencies of each species were calculated based on the occurrence and cover of each species. In total, 25 species comprising 13 families were registered, among which the Poaceae family that presented the largest number of species. Commelina benghalensis occurred the most frequently overall. Shannon’s diversity index (H’) and evenness were calculated as 2.30 nats ind-1 and 0.69, respectively. Five species accounted for 79.33% of absolute cover at DITALPI. The species were distributed heterogeneously within the field, and Commelina benghalensis, Urochloa plantaginea, Panicum maximum, Amaranthus spinosus, Cynodonsp., and Cyperus aggregatus were the species most likely to infest the acerola crop. As DITALPI is an area of organic cultivation, understanding these species is essential to help farmers select the best form of control.
Highlights
The occurrence of uncultivated species is common in agricultural areas, and these species compete for resources with crops (Brighenti and Oliveira, 2011)
This study was conducted in a lot used for commercial cultivation of organic acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C.) at DITALPI in Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil
Other species were concentrated in specific regions of the plantation. We found species such as Turnera subulata and Momordia charantia only in the border zone, and some species of the Cyperus genus were only observed in the center of the plantation (Cyperus chalaranthus, Cyperus compressus, and Cyperus rotundus)
Summary
The occurrence of uncultivated species is common in agricultural areas, and these species compete for resources with crops (Brighenti and Oliveira, 2011). The literature refers to these species as “invasive” plants or “weeds.” according to Pitelli (2015), in ecological terms, they may be referred to as a “weed community”, which is defined as a set of weed populations in areas of interest to humans Some of these species may be advantageous for crops, as they improve soil quality by assisting in nutrient cycling and by depositing organic matter (Gliessman, 2005). In organic crops weed management, no pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or other toxic or synthetic substances are used, thereby preventing food and environmental contamination (Araújo and Carvalho, 2014) This type of production system is gaining increasing prominence in food production and supply and preservation of natural resources, as it minimizes soil degradation and mitigates declines in insect pollinator populations
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