Initial interference of Cyperus rotundus L. in pre-sprouted seedlings of sugarcane cultivars RB985476 and IACSP95-5000

Abstract

Weeds compete with plants for water, light, nutrients and space. In sugarcane, planting pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings (PSS) may mean a change in weed interference and management. The aim of this study was to generate information on the interference of Cyperus rotundus L. in PSS. Two experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design, one with cultivar RB985476, with seven densities of C. rotundus (0, 17, 35, 70, 140, 280 and 560 plants m-2), and the second with cultivar IACSP95-5000, with four densities of C. rotundus (0, 70, 140 and 280 plants m-2). For this weed, a 2x6 factorial design was used for the experiment with RB985476 and a 2x3 design was used for IACSP95-5000, the first factor being absence and presence of the crop, and the second factor the densities of the species. Biometric evaluations of height, diameter, number of tillers and leaves, leaf area and dry mass were carried out. The PSS had a reduction in height, number of leaves and leaf area in the main till at 60 d after planting (DAP) in RB985476. For the IACSP95-5000 cultivar, there was no reduction in the analyzed variables. The average dry mass per plant of C. rotundus decreased as the density of the species increased in the absence of PSS.