Journal article

Publication year: 2011

Pages: 105-112

Journal: Herbologia

Volume number: 12

Issue number: 1

ISSN: 1840-0809

Publisher: Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo

Abstract: 

The growth of both weeds and crops depends on many factors such as the climate, the soil and the production system applied by the farmers. In this study, conducted in 2007 in the region of Vushtrria, we compared two maize production systems. The production systems were represented by two experimental fields with mechanical weed control and with no weed control, located within a maize field that was managed by a local farmer. The experimental fields did not differ in soil conditions or cropping practices related to ploughing, fertilization and sowing of maize. The total number of weed species was low. Only 9 species were found in the experimental fields. The dominant weeds were Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album and Echinochloa crus-galli. The number of plants of these species was lower in the plot with weed control. Moreover, highly significant positive correlations between both the height and the aboveground dry biomass of weeds and their seed numbers per plant were found in the plot without weed control. Finally, high aboveground dry biomass of weeds went hand in hand with low aboveground dry biomass of maize. In the experimental field with mechanical weed control, the maize aboveground dry biomass was about fivefold higher than in the field without weed control.

Harvard Citation style: Mehmeti, A., Sherifi, E., Demaj, A. and Waldhardt, R. (2011) Growth and productivity of weeds in two maize crop production systems, Herbologia, 12(1), pp. 105-112

APA Citation style: Mehmeti, A., Sherifi, E., Demaj, A., & Waldhardt, R. (2011). Growth and productivity of weeds in two maize crop production systems. Herbologia. 12(1), 105-112.