Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-94d59 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T08:49:17.523Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Management of Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) with Velvetbean (Mucuna pruriens var. utilis) and Herbicides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Udensi E. Udensi
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
I. Okezie Akobundu
Affiliation:
Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
Albert O. Ayeni
Affiliation:
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
David Chikoye*
Affiliation:
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: d.chikoye@cgiar.com.

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in 1992 to 1993 and in 1995 to 1996 in Ibadan, Nigeria, to assess the effect of velvetbean and herbicides on maize (corn) and cogongrass growth and to assess regrowth of the weed 1 yr after treatment. In 1992 and 1995 cover cropping with velvetbean and imazapyr and glyphosate application reduced cogongrass density as much as the handweeded control. The smothering effect of velvetbean was equivalent to that of glyphosate at 1.8 kg/ha but was less than imazapyr even at the lowest rate of 0.5 kg/ha. Addition of adjuvant did not improve the efficacy of either herbicide. Maize grain yield was higher in velvetbean plots than in fallow plots dominated by cogongrass. Velvetbean and herbicide effects on cogongrass 1 yr later (1993 and 1996) followed a similar trend as observed in the year of application. Annual weed density was highest in glyphosate plots, followed by imazapyr, and least in plots previously seeded to velvetbean. Maize grain yield was higher in herbicide plots (average yield of 3,170 and 1,920 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively) than in velvetbean plots (2,800 to 1,180 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively) and handweeded plots (2,890 and 723 kg/ha in 1993 and 1996, respectively). In 1996 the lowest maize yield was in handweeded plots without velvetbean, suggesting that weeding four times suppressed cogongrass density and biomass, but was not sufficient to minimize the subsequent competition from annual weeds. Uncontrolled cogongrass reduced maize yield to zero. These studies suggest that planting velvetbean for cogongrass control may be a better alternative for farmers without the resources to purchase herbicides.

Type
Research
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by the 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.)

Footnotes

1

Published with approval of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, MS. Publication IITA/98/JA/21.

Current address of second author: 400 Central Avenue, Apartment 10A, Albany, NY, 12206-2210.

References

Literature Cited

Adesina, A., Johnson, D. E., and Heinrichs, E. A. 1994. Rice pests in the Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa: farmers' perceptions and management strategies. Int. J. Pest Manag. 40:293299.Google Scholar
Ahrens, W. H. 1994. Herbicide Handbook. 7th ed. Champaign, IL: Weed Science Society of America. 352 p.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. 1991. Imazapyr Controls Imperata cylindrica in Arable Crops. Proc. 13th Asian Pacific Weed Sci. Soc. Conf., Jarkata, Indonesia, October 13–21, 1991. Asian Pacific Weed Sci. Soc. 25 p.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. and Ekeleme, F. 1995. The Effect of Underground Organs of Speargrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel) on Maize Grain Yield in the Derived Savanna of Southwestern Nigeria. Abstr. 22nd Anna. Conf. Weed Sci. Soc. Niger. pp. 3334. Ibadan: Weed Science Society of Nigeria. 39 p.Google Scholar
Akobundu, I. O. 1993. Integrated weed management techniques to reduce soil degradation. IITA Res. 6:1116.Google 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. 16:112.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1995. Imperata Management for Smallholders: An Extentists' Guide to Rational Imperata Management for Smallholders. U.K.: Natural Resources Institute and Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesian Rubber Research Institute. 56 p.Google Scholar
Bacon, P. 1986. AC252925: a promising new compound for the control of sheet alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) Biotrop. Spec. Bull. 24:325339.Google Scholar
Cox, T. I. and Johnson, D. E. 1993. Review of research progress in Imperata cylindrica control techniques for small holder farmers. In Lee, S. A. and Kon, K. F., eds. Proc. 3rd Tropical Weed Science Conf. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Plant Protection Society. pp. 257265.Google Scholar
Garrity, D. P., Soekardi, M., van Noordwijk, M., De la Cruz, R., Pathak, P. S., Gunasena, H.P.M., van So, N., Huijun, G., and Majid, N. M. 1997. The Imperata grasslands of tropical Asia: area, distribution, and typology. Agrofor. Syst. 36:329.Google Scholar
Guritno, B., Sitompul, S. M., and van der Heide, J. 1992. Reclamation of alang-alang on an ultisol in Lampung. Agrivita 15:8790.Google Scholar
Holm, L. G., Plucknett, D. L., Pancho, J. V., and Herberger, J. P. 1977. The World's Worst Weeds—Distribution and Biology. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii. 609 p.Google Scholar
Hulugalle, N. R., Lal, R., and Ter Kuille, C.H.H. 1982. Amelioration of soil physical properties by Mucuna after mechanized land clearing of a tropical rainforest. Soil Sci. 141:219224.Google Scholar
Ivens, G. W. 1975. Studies on Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. and Eupatorium odoratum L. Weed Research Organisation Tech. Rep. 37. 26 p.Google Scholar
Ivens, G. W. 1980. Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. in West African agriculture. Biotrop. Spec. Publ. 5:149156.Google Scholar
Manyong, V. M., Houndekon, A. V., Govan, A., Versteeg, M. V., and van der Pol, F. 1996. Determinants of Adoption for a Resource Management Technology: The Case of Mucuna in Benin Republic. Proc. International Conference of Advances in Agricultural and Biological Environment Engineering Conf., Beijing 15–19 August, Beijing: China Agricultural University Press. pp. 8693.Google Scholar
Nancy, G. C., Bennett, M. A., Stinner, B. R., Cardina, J., and Regnier, E. E. 1996. Mechanisms of weed suppression in cover crop-based production systems. HortScience 31:410413.Google Scholar
Onyia, N. 1997. Monitoring imazapyr pesticide in soils of the moist savanna in relation to the control of Imperata cylindrica. . Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 173 p.Google Scholar
Osei-Bonsu, P. and Buckles, D. 1993. Controlling weeds and improving soil fertility through the use of cover crops: experiences with Mucuna spp. in Benin and Ghana. West Afr. Farming Syst. Res. Network Bull. 14:27.Google Scholar
Sanginga, N., Ibewiro, B., Houngnandan, P., Vanlauwe, B., Okogun, J. A., Akobundu, I. O., and Versteeg, M. V. 1996. Evaluation of symbiotic properties and nitrogen contribution of Mucuna to maize grown in the derived savannah of West Africa. Plant Soil 179:119129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soerjani, M. 1970. Alang-alang: Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. pattern of growth as related to its problems of control. Biotrop. Bull. 1:188 Google Scholar
Tinholt, J.G.N. 1988. Control of Alang-Alang (Imperata cylindrica) in Transmigration Settlement Areas. Jakarta, Indonesia: TRANS V Project Technical Support Team Rep. 18 p.Google Scholar
Townson, J. 1991. Imperata cylindrica and its control. Weed Abstr. 40:457468.Google Scholar
Versteeg, M. V. and Koudokpon, V. 1990. Mucuna helps control Imperata in southern Benin. West Afr. Farming Syst. Res. Network Bull. 7:78.Google Scholar
Willard, T. R., Hall, D. W., Shilling, D. G., Lewis, J. A., and Currey, W. L. 1990. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) distribution on Florida Highway rights-of-way. Weed Technol. 4:658660.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willard, T. R., Shilling, D. G., Gaffney, J. F., and Currey, W. L. 1996. Mechanical and chemical control of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). Weed Technol. 10:722726.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willard, T. R., Gaffney, J. F., and Shilling, D. G. 1997. Influence of herbicide combinations and application technology on cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) control. Weed Technol. 11:7680.Google Scholar