Reduced use of herbicides that cause environmental pollution problems is of great interest in modern agriculture. Soil mulching with gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) branches does not have an allelopathic effect on corn, but decreases weed populations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of gliricidia planting density, when grown as an intercrop, on weed control and corn yield parameters. A randomized block design with split-plots and ten replicates was adopted. Corn cultivars AG 1051 and BM 3061 were grown without hoeing, with two hoes (at 24 and 44 days after planting), and intercropped with gliricidia (planted simultaneously with corn, between crop rows, using two seedlings/pit, spaced at 30, 40, or 50 cm). Twenty-one weed species were found in the experimental area. Increased gliricidia planting density reduced weed biomass, but no difference was found between weed biomass in the intercrop and weed biomass in non-hoed corn. Gliricidia intercropped with corn, planted at a row spacing of 30 cm, did not significantly differ from hoed corn in most characteristics considered to evaluate green corn yield, although mean values were smaller. As to the number and weight of marketable green ears, reductions of 5% and 13%, respectively, were observed. Intercropping caused a 17% reduction in grain yield, reducing the losses (36%) observed in non-hoed corn by more than 50%. The highest green ear yield and grain yield values were obtained with two hoeings, while the lowest values were observed for non-hoed corn. The cultivars did not differ regarding green ear yield and grain yield.
There has been interest in reducing the use of herbicides for weed control in order to decrease environmental degradation problems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of gliricidia planting density sown by broadcasting and intercopping on green ear and corn grain yield as well as on weed control. A randomized block design with split-plots and five replicates were adopted. Cultivars AG 1051, BM 2022, and BM 3061, assigned to plots, were submitted to the following treatments: no hoeing, two hoeings (at 20 and 40 days after sowing), and intercropped with gliricidia sown at densities of 10 and 20 seeds m-2. Thirty weed species occurred in the experiment area, with Cucumis anguria as the most frequent ones. Cultivar BM 2022 was the best for the total number of ears (TNE) and number (NMHE) and weight of marketable husked ears. Together with cultivar AG 1051, this cultivar had the highest total weight and marketable unhusked ear weight (MUEW). However, the cultivars did not differ with respect to grain yield (GY). The highest green ear and corn grain yield and weed control percentages were obtained with two hoeings; in MUEW, NMHE and GY, intercropping provided intermediate means in comparison with those obtained in hoed and non-hoed plots, indicating that gliricidia was partially beneficial to corn. Increased gliricidia seeding density heightened the benefits to corn (TNE and MUEW). The lack of hoeing produced the poorest green ear and grain yields.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.