Weed interference is one of the main limiting factors in the cowpea yield. In this sense, we aimed to determine the periods of weed interference in the cowpea crop in the semi-arid region of Minas Gerais. The treatments were arranged in a 2 x 10 factorial scheme, with two factors: coexistence and control of weed and ten periods: 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 and 63 days after emergence (DAE) subjected to control and coexistence. The evaluated characteristics were dry weight of weeds and the cowpea, weight of 100 grains and yield, which was fitted to the exponential model and the periods of interference of the weed community were determined. The period before interference (PBI) occurred up to 20 DAE, with weed control having to be performed up to 32 DAE. The critical period for weed control (CPWC) was from 21 to 32 days after emergence of the crop. The cowpea bean yield reduced 73.5% with the weed interactions during the whole cycle, under conditions of the semi-arid of Minas Gerais.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of erect and semi-erect cowpea elite lines grown in the States of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso, Brazil. The experiments were conducted in Jaíba, Janaúba, Sete Lagoas (Minas Gerais), Primavera do Leste and Nova Ubiratã (Mato Grosso), with 20 genotypes of cowpea, arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. The data were subjected to individual and joint analyses of variance and means grouped by the Scott-Knott test (p<0.05). The plant growth habit, lodging, cultivation value, pod length and bean yield were evaluated. The lines MNC04-768F-21 and MNC04F-795F-168 had the highest bean yield in the experiments conducted in Mato Grosso, and their growth habit, lodging and cultivation value were similar to those of the cultivar BRS-Guariba. The lines MNC04-769F-30, MNC05-795F-154 and MNC04-769F-49 and the cultivar BRS-Tumucumaque had the highest bean yield in the experiments conducted in Minas Gerais. However, the cultivars BRS-Guariba, BRS-Tumucumaque, BRS-Novaera, BRS-Itaim and BRS-Cauamé and the lines MNC04-792F-143 and MNC04-792F-144 showed satisfactory bean yield and good growth habit, plant lodging and cultivation value in the State of Minas Gerais, especially in the northern region of the state (Jaíba and Janaúba), representing good alternatives for the genotypes recommended for this region.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a dinâmica da comunidade infestante de plantas daninhas em cultivo do feijão-caupi no semiárido mineiro. Os tratamentos consistiram na coleta das plantas daninhas aos 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 dias após a emergência (DAE), posteriormente foi feito o controle da comunidade infestante por capina mecânica. A coleta de plantas daninhas foi feita pelo método padrão do quadrado inventário, lançado aleatoriamente na área útil de cada parcela, recolhendo todas as plantas. Foram determinados o número de indivíduos por espécie em cada parcela e o número total por coleta. Após a identificação e contagem das espécies, foi realizado o cálculo das variáveis fitossociológicas: Frequência, Densidade, Abundância, Frequência relativa, Densidade relativa, Abundância relativa, Dominância relativa, Índice de valor de importância (IVI), Índice de valor de cobertura (IVC) e Índice de similaridade (IS). As espécies Portulaca oleracea, Amaranthus viridis e Sorghum bicolor apresentaram maiores valores de IVI. Foi possível afirmar que é alta a similaridade florística das espécies de plantas daninhas que ocorreram durante o ciclo do feijão-caupi. Quanto ao Índice de valor de Cobertura (IVC), destacaram-se as espécies Portulaca oleracea, Sorghum bicolor e Senna obustifolia. Palavras-chave: comunidade infestante; Vigna ungiculata; levantamento fitossociológico.   Phytosociology of weeds in cultivation of cowpea in the semi-arid region of Minas Gerais   ABSTRACT: The present work aimed to characterize the dynamics of the weed community in cultivation of cowpea in the semi-arid region of Minas Gerais. The treatments consisted of collecting the weeds 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 days after emergence (DAE); following each collection, the weed community was controlled by mechanical weeding. The collections were carried out using the standard method of the inventory square, randomly launched in the useful area of each plot, collecting all the plants. The number of individuals per species in each plot and the total number per collect were determined. After identifying and counting the species, the phytosociological variables were calculated: Frequency, Density, Abundance, Relative frequency, Relative density, Relative abundance, Relative dominance, Importance value index (IVI), Coverage value index (CVI) and Similarity Index (SI). The species Portulaca oleracea, Amaranthus viridis and Sorghum bicolor presented the largest IVI. It was possible to affirm that the floristic similarity of the weed species that occurred during the cowpea cycle is high.  The species Portulaca oleracea, Sorghum bicolor and Senna obustifolia presented the highest CVI values. Keywords: infestant comunnity; Vigna ungiculata; phytosociological survey.

Cowpea is one of the pulse crops that present the highest potential for growing in the Semiarid region of Brazil. Lowcost vegetable protein source, it has resilience to adverse conditions, however, in competition with weeds, its productivity can be strongly compromised. To overcoming this situation, it is essential for integrated management programs to determine the critical period for preventing interference. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine weed interference periods and the effect of coexistence periods on cowpea grain yield in the Semiarid region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The treatments were arranged in a 2×9 factorial scheme, as follows: cultivation in coexistence with weeds and cultivation under weed control, for nine crescent periods (0-7, 0-14, 0-21, 0-28, 0-35, 0-42, 0-49, 0-56 and 0-63 days after crop emergence), in a randomized experimental block design with four replications. The weed community was studied through phytosociological survey and evaluation of dry matter production and cowpea was evaluated for dry matter production, 100-grain mass and grain yield. The interference periods were determined using a non-linear logistic regression model. The weed community found was composed of 70% dicotyledonous and 30% monocotyledon plants, distributed in seven families and ten species. The coexistence with weeds results in losses of up to 90% in cowpea grain yield. The critical period of weed control in cowpea crop in the Semiarid region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is 11 to 36 days after crop emergence.

The objective was to identify the species and quantify the importance value index of weeds in the cultivation of arabica coffee in two irrigation systems, at different times of the year, in the northern region of Minas Gerais. A phytosociological survey was carried out in each season of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter) in an area cultivated with the species Coffea arabica, subjected to two irrigation systems (sprinkling and dripping). The coffee crop was implanted at a spacing of 3.5 m between rows and 0.7 meters between plants. The collection of weeds was performed using the standard method of the square inventory, which was launched between the lines of the crop. The identification of the species was carried out, the number of individuals was quantified, the dry mass, frequency, density, abundance, importance value index and coverage, and the similarity index. 33 weed species were identified, being the species with the highest IVI Euphorbia hirta, Brachiaria plantaginea, Digitaria horizontalis, Cyperus rotundus and Amaranthus spp. It was observed a higher occurrence of weeds from the monocot group in the sprinkler irrigation system while in the drip there were predominance of dicot plants.