Yield and harvest index of sunflower (Helianthus annus) grown by a monocultur system in competition with redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)

Subject Areas : Agroecology Journal

Bahram Mirshekari ¹

1 - Assistant Prof., Agronomy and plant Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran.

Received: 2008-12-16 Accepted : 2009-06-06 Published : 2010-04-21

Keywords: competition, yield, biomass, Sunflower, weed, Redroot Pigweed, harvest index,

Abstract :

Study the effects of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) interference on yield and harvest index of sunflower (Helianthus annus), a factorial experiment based on a randomized complet block design was carried out in the Islamic Azad University of Tabriz Branch, in 2007 and 2008. Factors were three weed densities (5, 15 and 25 plants m-1 in row) at three subsequent times of weed emergences (at the same time, 15 and 30 days after sunflower germination) and three sunflower cultivars (Azarghol, Hysun and Allstar). Indeed, a control plot was also considered for each variety in the experiment by roghing weeds. The results showed that biological yield at the third level of weed emergence time appeared with a very low difference with the weed-free control (680 kg ha-1). Sunflower biomass decreased from 1850 g/m-2 of the control to 1350 g/m-2 during the full season interference of 25 weeds m-1 in row. Yield production in Azarghol at weed emergence time of the 15 days ofter sunflower emergence decreased by 7% and 14% of that of the control where weed density increased from a range of 5 to 15 and 15 to 25 plants/m-1 in row, respectively. Regarding to the Hysun variety, all weed treatments yielded lower than the control, and the yield of three weed emergence time treatments (at the same time, 15 and 30 days after crop emergence) was reduced by 49%, 37% and 16% of the control (3858) kg/ha-1, respectively. In Allstar variety, the yield loss was more considerable than the other two varieties and it was reduced by 35% of the lowest competition treatment that means this variety is highly susceptible to compete with weed plants like redroot pigweed. The harvest index was also disclosed high variation between three cultivars since it’s value was decreased by 6.5%, 13% and 39% of the control yield in varieties Azarghol, Hysun and Allstar, respectively.

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