Arvenses asociadas al cultivo de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) en el distrito de Los Santos, República de Panamá

Abstract

Weeds associated with the tomato productions in the country of Panama represent a significant threat to agricultural activities and the importance of its management related to this crop, based on the level of economic damage is strongly supported in agriculture worldwide. The main purpose of this article is the identification of different varieties of weeds associated to the tomato crop, given its relevance in the agroecosystems of the Dry Arch zone (a very dry area located in the mid provinces of the republic of Panama which are: Herrera, Los Santos, some parts of Coclé and some parts of Veraguas). Where several samples of different varieties of weeds were collected in ten (10) different tomato fields, such areas are located in different parts of Los Santos province and were chosen randomly, to see where they were causing more damage and increasing its yield, these areas are: Tres Quebradas, Las Cruces, La Colorada, El Guasimo, Villa Lourdes, La Espigadilla, Los Angeles and Santa Ana. As a high percentage of 100% of samples of weeds from different areas and varieties associated with the tomato production collected in the District of Los Santos taken as referent for this study; the most important were gather and grouped by taken into account the botanical families to which they belong, in the fallowing way:17% Euphorbiaceae; 22% Asteraceae and Fabaceae, (11% each);8% Poaceae;18% Convolvulaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae (6% each);20% Amaranthaceous, Boraginaceous, Commelinaceae, Cucurbitaceous, Sterculiaceae (4% each). And the remaining 15% is homogeneously distributed among the families: Bignoniaceae, Capparidaceae, Cyperaceae, Loganiaceae, Onagraceae, Plantaginaceae, Portulacaceae, Rubiaceae Scrophulariaceae, Tiliaceae, Verbenaceae, Violaceae, Zygophyllaceae. Although the whole group of different varieties of collected and identified weeds could be used as a reservoir of biological entities, which should be considered in the design of strategies for farther researches to improve the agronomic management of the crop.