PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #34: Agroecology.
Thursday, August 9, 2001. Presentation from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Exhibition Hall
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Effects of density on competition between Bufelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) in pots.
VERA, ANTONIO, MEDRANO, CARLOS, DEL VILLAR, ALONSO, PAZ, VICTOR, PAEZ, ALEJANDRA,
ABSTRACT- Weed-crop interactions create substantial looses on production. The effect of density was evaluated on competition of the weed buffelgrass and the crop Cucumber in pots, under very dry tropical forest conditions. A replacement series method (0, 2, 4, 8, 12) was used with 24 combinations. Height, leaf area, shoot, root and total plant dry weight and leaf number were determined at 15 and 30 days after thinning. In both harvests root and total dry weight of cucumber decreased significantly (p<0.05) at highest buffelgrass densities (8 and 12 plants/pot). While at 15 days leaf area and shoot dry weight of cucumber increased (p<0,05) with the lowest weed densities (2 and 4 plants/pot), at 30 days cucumber height increased with low densities, and leaf number increased with high weed densities. In conclusion, care should be taken in order to adecuate weed thinnings during the period 15 and 25 days after cucumber germination.
KEY WORDS: Cenchrus ciliaris , Cucumis sativus, competition, weed