Weed vegetation structure in an area of organic acerola cultivation, Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to identify and quantify the weed species in an area of organic acerola cultivation in the Distrito de Irrigação dos Tabuleiros Litorâneos do Piauí (DITALPI) in Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. Phytosociological sampling was completed in the rainy season, before the farmers adopted management techniques for the plants. Thirty plots of 0.25 m2 were sampled. The plots were located between crop rows, which consisted of herbaceous-subshrub plants. The absolute and relative covers and the absolute and relative frequencies of each species were calculated based on the occurrence and cover of each species. In total, 25 species comprising 13 families were registered, among which the Poaceae family that presented the largest number of species. Commelina benghalensis occurred the most frequently overall. Shannon’s diversity index (H’) and evenness were calculated as 2.30 nats ind-1 and 0.69, respectively. Five species accounted for 79.33% of absolute cover at DITALPI. The species were distributed heterogeneously within the field, and Commelina benghalensis, Urochloa plantaginea, Panicum maximum, Amaranthus spinosus, Cynodon sp., and Cyperus aggregatus were the species most likely to infest the acerola crop. As DITALPI is an area of organic cultivation, understanding these species is essential to help farmers select the best form of control.