INFLUENCE OF NODEWEED (SYNEDRELLA NODIFLORA GAERTN.) INTERFERENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF OKRA [ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS (L.) MOENCH]

• M.A.K. Smith

  Department of Crop, Soil & Pest Management, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Corresponding Phone: +234803400 6729

  Author

The comparative growth of S.nodiflora and okra seedlings and effects of S.nodiflora interference with the growth and yield of okra were assessed in pot experiments. Established seedlings of okra had a distinctly early and better growth than those of S.nodiflora. In spite of comparable total biomass productivity over time, okra had more productive shoots while S.nodiflora had more productive roots during establishment, due to widely differing patterns of biomass partitioning. Except for the significant reductions in shoot biomass (r= 1.00**), leaf area (r= 0.98**), shoot/total biomass ratio (r= 0.75*), shoot/root biomass ratio (r= 0.98**) and percent pod yield reduction (r= 0.78**) of weed-associated okra, crop vegetative and reproductive growth were practically unaffected by interspecific competition from S.nodiflora. Okra associated with low S.nodiflora densities (3 and 6 seedlings/pot or 61 and 122 plants/m 2) had considerably increased (12.1-24.5%) pod fresh yields compared to monoculture (weedfree) crop. However, pod fresh yield of okra reduced markedly (averaging 24.5%) at densities higher than 9 weed seedlings. Each unit increase in weed density resulted in an increase of 0.025 g in reciprocal crop biomass. Increasing S.nodiflora density significantly (p≤ 0.05) increased weed dry matter and decreased shoot/root biomass ratio and seed output per plant. On the average, S.nodiflora may not create a very serious weed problem in okra but weed infestations may be critical at densities higher than 6 weed seedlings/pot (>122 plants/m2) and when seeding and population build-up are not prevented.

1. M.A.K. Smith, Department of Crop, Soil & Pest Management, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Corresponding Phone: +234803400 6729

   Department of Crop, Soil & Pest Management, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Corresponding Phone: +234803400 6729

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