Response of weed flora to conservation agriculture systems and weeding intensity in semi-arid Zimbabwe

Abstract

A field study was conducted in the fifth (cowpea crop) and sixth (sorghum crop) seasons of a long-term conservation agriculture trial at Matopos Research Station to determine the effect of tillage, maize mulch rates and intensity of hoe weeding on weed density and community diversity. The experiment was a split-plot randomized complete block design with three replications. Tillage was the main plot factor; conventional tillage versus the minimum tillage (MT) systems of ripper tine and planting basins. Maize mulch rate (0, 4 and 8 t ha-1) was the sub-plot factor to which was super-imposed the intensity of hoe weeding treatment (low and high) as from the fifth season. Tillage system had no significant (P<0.05) effect on weed density and diversity. Whereas the maize mulch rate of 4 t ha-1 increased weed density in both crops, the mulch rate of 8 t ha-1 decreased the density of Portulaca oleracea and Corchorus tridens in sorghum. Weed density was lower and community diversity higher in the high than the low weeding intensity treatment in sorghum. Although, frequent hoe weeding can be used to control weeds in MT systems, labour shortages may ultimately limit the area under MT in smallholder agriculture.