Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T03:40:12.026Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Cover crops reduce weed seedbanks in maize–cassava systems in southwestern Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Friday Ekeleme ,
I. Okezie Akobundu ,
Augustine O. Isichei  and
David Chikoye
Friday Ekeleme
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
I. Okezie Akobundu
Affiliation:
5310 Lantern Court, Baltimore, MD 21229-3201; mpsons@juno.com
Augustine O. Isichei
Affiliation:
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Oyo State, Nigeria
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Weeds are a major constraint to crop production in smallholder farms in tropical Africa. The weed seedbank and annual recruitment are the main sources of weed infestation in crops. This study was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria, to evaluate the effect on the seedbank of two types of planted fallow (alley cropping with leucaena and live mulch with tropical kudzu) and a natural bush fallow under four land-use intensities. Type of fallow was the main plot. Land-use intensities, consisting of continuous cropping of maize intercropped with cassava, 1 cropping yr of maize–cassava followed by 1, 2, and 3 yr of fallow, were the subplots. Averaged over a 3-yr period, the seedbank was 55% lower in the tropical kudzu plots and 43% lower in the leucaena plots compared with natural bush. The difference in seedbanks between plots cultivated after leucaena and natural fallow was 23%. Seed density of annual broadleaf weeds was high and dominated the seedbank of both planted and natural fallow. Overall, seeds of grasses occurred at low densities in all plots cultivated after 2 to 3 yr of fallow, whereas seeds of sedges occurred more in continuously cultivated plots and plots cultivated after 1 yr of fallow in all the fallow types. Seed density of perennial broadleaf weeds increased as land-use intensity decreased. Live mulch with tropical kudzu, especially when combined with 2 to 3 yr of fallow, lowered the seedbank more than the leucaena and traditional bush fallow systems.

Keywords

Leucaena, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit LUAGLtropical kudzu, Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth. PUEPHcassava, Manihot esculenta Crantzmaize = corn, Zea mays L.Bush fallowcropping frequencyfallow managementseedbank
Type
Weed Management
Information
Weed Science , Volume 51 , Issue 5 , October 2003 , pp. 774 - 780
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Akinola, M. O. and Egunjobi, J. K. 1991. Effect of soil applied herbicides on the weed seedbank and composition in maize and cowpea cropping systems in southwestern Nigeria II. Derived savanna area. Int. J. Ecol. Environ. Sci 17:189–200.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. 1987. Preventive weed control. Pages 101–102 in Weed Science in the Tropics: Principle and Practices. Chichester, Great Britain: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. 1991. Weeds in human affairs in sub-Saharan Africa: implications for sustainable food production. Weed Technol 5:680–690.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. and Agyakwa, C. W. 1998. A Handbook of West African Weeds. Ibadan, Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. 162 p.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O., Ekeleme, F., and Chikoye, D. 1999. Influence of fallow management systems and frequency of cropping on weed growth and crop yield. Weed Res 39:241–256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anoka, U. A., Akobundu, I. O., and Okonkwo, S. N. C. 1991. Effects of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit on growth and development of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel. Agrofor. Syst 16:1–12.Google Scholar
Ball, D. A. and Miller, S. D. 1990. Weed seed population response to tillage and herbicides use in three irrigated cropping sequences. Weed Sci 38:511–517.Google Scholar
Barberi, P., Cozzani, A., Macchia, M., and Bonar, E. 1998. Size and composition of the weed seedbank under different management systems for continuous maize cropping. Weed Res 38:319–334.Google Scholar
Buhler, D. D., Hartzler, R. G., and Forcella, F. 1997. Implication of weed seedbank dynamics to weed management. Weed Sci 45:329–336.Google Scholar
Chikoye, D. and Ekeleme, F. 2001. Weed flora and soil seedbank in fields dominated by Imperata cylindrica in the moist savannah of West Africa. Weed Res 41:475–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Derksen, D. A., Thomas, A. G., Lafond, G. P., Loeppky, H. A., and Swanton, C. J. 1994. Impact of agronomic practices on weed communities: fallow within tillage systems. Weed Sci 42:184–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Rouw, A. 1995. The fallow period as a weed-break in shifting cultivation (tropical rain forests). Agric. Ecosyst. Environ 54:31–43.Google Scholar
Dick, W. A. and Daniel, T. C. 1987. Soil chemical and biological properties as affected by conservation tillage: environmental implications. Pages 125–147 in Logan, T. J., Davidson, J. M., Baker, J. L., and Overcash, M. R., eds. Effects of Conservation Tillage on Ground Water Quality. Chelsea, MI: Lewis Publishers.Google Scholar
Edward, E. S., Lybecker, D. W., and Wiles, L. J. 1998. Important biological information needed for bioeconomic weed management models. Pages 1–12 in Hatfield, J. L., Buhler, D. D., and Stewart, B. A., eds. Integrated Weed and Soil Management. Ann Arbor, MI: Ann Arbor Press.Google Scholar
Ekeleme, F., Akobundu, I. O., Isichei, A. O., and Chikoye, D. 2000. Influence of fallow type and land-use intensity on weed seed rain in a forest/savanna transition zone. Weed Sci 48:604–612.Google Scholar
Forcella, F., Durgan, B. R., and Buhler, D. D. 1996. Management of weed seedbank. Pages 21–26 in Brown, H., Cussans, G. W., Devine, M. D., et al., eds. Proceedings of the Second International Weed Control Congress; Copenhagen, Denmark. Flakkebjerg, Denmark: International Weed Science Society.Google Scholar
Haywood, J. D. 1999. Durability of selected mulches, their ability to control weeds, and influence growth of Loblolly pine seedling. New For 18:263–276.Google Scholar
Hauser, S. and Asawalam, D. O. 1998. Effects of fallow system and cropping frequency upon quantity and composition of earthworm casts. Z. Pflanzenernaehrung Bodenkd 161:23–30.Google Scholar
Jongman, R. H. G., ter Braak, C. J. F., and van Tongeren, O. F. R. 1987. Data Analysis in Community and Landscape Ecology. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Centre for Agricultural Publications and Documentation (Pudoc). 100 p.Google Scholar
Kamara, A. Y., Akobundu, I. O., Chikoye, D., and Jutzi, S. C. 1999. Weed seedbank and composition in an arable crop mulched with pruning from three multipurpose trees in southwestern Nigeria. J. Appl. Bot 73:25–30. [Angewandte Botanik].Google Scholar
Kang, B. T., Wilson, G. F., and Sipkens, L. 1981. Alley cropping maize (Zea mays L.) and leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala Lam.) in southern Nigeria. Plant Soil 63:165–179.Google Scholar
Kegode, G. O., Forcella, F., and Clay, S. 1999. Influence of crop rotation, tillage, and management inputs on weed seed production. Weed Sci 47:175–183.Google Scholar
Labrada, R. and Parker, C. 1994. Weed control in the context of integrated pest management. Page 8 in Labrada, R., Caseley, J. C., and Parker, C., eds. Weed Management for Developing Countries. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper 120. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.Google Scholar
Parker, C. and Fryer, J. 1975. Weed control problems causing major reduction in world food supplies. FAO Plant Prot. Bull 23:83–95.Google Scholar
Rafey, A. and Prasad, K. 1995. Influence of weed management practices in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) intercropped with upland rice (Oryza sativa). Indian J. Agric. Sci 65:281–282.Google Scholar
Raji, J. A., Agboola, A. A., and Adeoye, G. 1995. A diagnostics survey of farm resources and farm produce of the peasant farmers of the southwestern Nigeria. Int. J. Trop. Agric 13:1–11.Google Scholar
Roder, W., Phengchanh, S., and Keobulapha, B. 1997. Weeds in slash-and-burn rice fields in northern Laos. Weed Res 37:111–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salonen, J. 1993. Weed infestation and factors affecting weed incidence in spring cereals in Finland: a multivariate approach. Agric. Sci. Finland 2:525–535.Google Scholar
[SAS] Statistical Analysis Systems. 1995. SAS User's Guide. Cary, NC: Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 956 p.Google Scholar
ter Braak, C. J. F. 1990a. CANOCO—A FORTRAN Program for Canonical Community Ordination by [Partial] [Detrended] [Canonical] Correspondence Analysis, Principal Components Analysis and Redundancy Analysis. Version 3.10. Ithaca, NY: Microcomputer Power.Google Scholar
ter Braak, C. J. F. 1990b. Update Notes: CANONO Version 3.10. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Agricultural Mathematics Group.Google Scholar
ter Braak, C. J. F. and Prentice, I. C. 1988. A theory of gradient analysis. Adv. Ecol. Res 18:271–317.Google Scholar
Thomas, A. G., Frick, B., Derksen, D. A., Brandit, S. A., and Zentner, R. P. 1996. Crop rotations and weed community dynamics on the Canadian prairies. Pages 227–232 in Brown, H., Cussans, G. W., Devine, M. D., et al., eds. Proceedings of the Second International Weed Control Congress; Copenhagen, Denmark. Flakkebjerg, Denmark: International Weed Science Society.Google Scholar
Tian, G., Hauser, S., Koutika, L. S., Ishida, F., and Chianu, J. N. 2001. Pages 137–155 in Tian, G., Ishida, F., Keatinge, D., Carsky, R., and Wendt, J., eds. Sustaining Soil Fertility in West Africa. Proceedings of the Symposium Sponsored by the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy; Minneapolis, MN. Madison, WI: Soil Science Society of America.Google Scholar
Tian, G., Kolawole, G. O., Ishida, F., and Carsky, R. J. 1999a. On farm study of Pueraria cover crop fallow system in the derived savanna of West Africa. Pages 185–196 in Carsky, R. J., Eteka, A. C., Keatinge, J.D.H., and Manyong, V. M., eds. Cover Crops for Natural Resource Management in West Africa. Ibadan, Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.Google Scholar
Tian, G., Kolawole, G. O., Salako, F. K., and Kang, B. T. 1999b. An improved cover crop-fallow system for sustainable management of low activity clay soils of the tropics. Soil Sci 164:671–682.Google Scholar