TITLE:
Weed Control Strips Influences on the Rubber Tree Growth
AUTHORS:
Caio Doria Guzzo, Leonardo B. de Carvalho, Pedro Luis da C. A. Alves, Elaine Cristine Piffer Gonçalves, Paulo F. Giancotti
KEYWORDS:
Hevea brasiliensis; Urochloa decumbens; Weed Control; Weed Interference
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.5 No.8,
March
26,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree) is
the most widely cultivated tree species for producing natural rubber latex
whose productivity can be reduced by weeds. Field experiment was carried out
during two years to evaluate the growth of rubber
tree plants submitted to different weed control strips (0-weed-free, 50, 100,
150, 200, 250, 300, 350, and 400-(weedy cm) and to determine the critical width
of weed control strip during the establishment of rubber tree plantation. Weed
community was composed mainly by Urochloa
decumbens (90%). The width of the weed control strip influenced on the
initial plant growth of rubber trees, reducing the plant height, stem diameter,
leaf area, and aboveground dry mass accumulation. In consequence, crop
plantation was affected by the width of weed control. The critical width of the
weed control strip for establishment of a rubber
tree plantation was within 100 cm.