Interference of Urochloa plantaginea on Morphophysiology and Yield Components of Black Beans

Abstract

Among the factors which affect crop productivity, there are weeds which compete for environment resources. The objective of this work was to determine the periods of interference of alexandergrass on the morphophysiology and productivity components of black beans. The experiment was conducted in a complete randomized block design with four replications. The bean cultivar of the black type used was IPR Uirapuru, being the treatments separated in two models of interference: in the coexistence group, the crop of the bean lived with the alexandergrass by growing periods of 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and throughout the cycledays after emergence and throughout the cycle; in the control group the crop was kept free of the infestation for the same periods described previously. At 42 DAE were evaluated the variables related to plant morphology and physiology (height of bean plants, number of trifoliate leaves, dry mass plant, number of grains pods, number od pods plants, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concentration, photosynthetic activity, efficiency of carboxylation, efficient use of water, transpiration rate). Considering the results, it is possible to conclude that the critical period of interference prevention (CPIP) comprises 24 to 50 DAE, the period before the interference (PBI) was 24 DAE and the total period of interference prevention (TPIP) was 50 days and that the morphological and physiological variables of the plants were negatively affected in the coexistence with the alexandergrass when compared to the treatments kept free of weeds throughout the crop cycle.