TITLE:
Weed Interference in the Morphophysiological and Nutritional Characteristics of Erva-Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
AUTHORS:
Felipe Adelio De David, Leandro Galon, Gismael Francisco Perin, Germani Concenço, Alfredo Castamann, Cesar Tiago Forte, Paula Rochelly De David, Altemir José Mossi, André Andres, Ivana Santos Moisinho
KEYWORDS:
Urochloa plantaginea, Bidens pilosa, Ipomoea indivisa, Conyza bonariensis
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.9 No.3,
February
26,
2018
ABSTRACT: The
erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
represents an alternative crop for agricultural exploitation in South Brazilian
farms with potential to export the harvested product. However, there is scarce
information about the interference caused by weeds on this crop. The objective
of this work was to evaluate the interference of weed species on the
morphophysiological and nutritional characteristics of erva-mate. The
experiment was installed in greenhouse at the Federal University of Fronteira
Sul (UFFS), Campus Erechim/RS, Brazil, in randomized blocks design, arranged in a 4 × 6 factorial
scheme, with four replications. In factor A,
weed species (Urochloa plantaginea—Alexandergrass, Bidens pilosa—Hairy
beggarticks, Ipomoea indivisa—Morning
glory and Conyza bonariensis—Hairy
fleabane) were allocated, and in B the populations of these species competing
with the erva-mate (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 plants per pot) were considered. The variables
evaluated in erva-mate were sub-stomatal CO2 concentration, photosynthetic
rate, CO2 consumed, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, water
use efficiency, height, stem diameter, leaf area and shoot dry mass.
Concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)
were also evaluated. Overall, all weed species and densities among the tested
ones harmed the development of erva-mate
plants, which was considered as low competitive with weeds.