Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1982. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-54). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Sc. Agriculture (Crop Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2008 / Striga control through agronomic practices is the key to maize production predominantly in small holder farmers who cannot afford chemical weed control. Striga has affected maize yield in many areas in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Field experiments were carried out over one season at three sites to determine the effect of weed control method on striga on maize. The experiment was done at Mafarana village (Mopani District) near Tzaneen where striga is a serious problem. It was conducted on three fields, belonging to Mrs. Shingwenyana, Mr. Nyathi and Mr. Mushwana. A randomized complete block design experiment was laid out consisting of two factors; (i) two maize cultivars i.e. Zm 1421 and Zm 423 (ii) three agronomic practices: hand hoeing alone (as the control factor), hand hoeing plus inorganic fertilization using lime ammonium nitrate (LAN-28%N) at the rate of 56kg/ha, and hand hoeing plus inter-row intercropping of maize with cowpea. Cowpea cultivar Bechuana White was used for the experiment. The results indicated that the effect of the method of weed control on the number of striga plants was significant at the 5% level of significance at all locations except at Mushwana’s where at 105 days after planting (DAP) there was no significant effect. Striga numbers were lower in hand hoed plus inorganic fertilizer plots compared to hand hoed alone and hand hoed plus intercropping. At Shingwenyana’s field the results indicated that effect of weed control methods on grain yield was significant and this is where the striga numbers were the highest than at Mushwana and Nyathi’s fields. The effect of weed control methods on grain yield was significant only at Shingwenyana’s field ranging from 2219kg/ha (hand hoeing), 2248kg/ha (hand hoeing plus inorganic fertilizer) to 3928kg/ha (hand hoeing plus intercropping). The effect of weed control method on shelling %, hundred seed weight, number of cobs per plant and lodging % was not significant. The effect of weed control method on number of plants per plot was significant at Mushwana’s field only. There was significant difference of striga numbers among maize varieties at Nyathi’s field at 105 DAP. In hand hoed, striga numbers were 0.075 for Zm 1421 and 0.489 for Zm 423. Plots that were hand hoed plus inorganic fertilizer application striga numbers were 0.075 for Zm 1421 and 0.270 for Zm 423 and finally hand hoed plus intercropped plots with maize and cowpeas had striga numbers of 0.739 for 1421 and 0.850 for ZM 423. It is recommended that farmers improve the fertility status of their soils in order to control striga problem. / Limpopo Department of Agriculture

Additive weed competition experiments were undertaken to study the effect of lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album) interference on direct seeded broccoli. Lamb's-quarters (3, 8, 10, 12, and 15 plants m⁻²) began to affect broccoli growth 28 to 36 days after seeding. Decreases in crop growth increased with weed density as time after seeding increased. Yield data were fitted to a rectangular hyperbolic model which indicated that even one lamb's-quarters plant m⁻² could reduce total yield by 18 to 20 percent and marketable yield (head >10 cm across) by 22 to 37 percent. Lamb's-quarters reduced total yield by reducing average head weight and not by lowering the number of heads per plot. On the other hand, the weed reduced marketable yield by reducing both the average head weight and the number of heads per plot. The feasibility of using liquid ammonium nitrate as a post-emergent weed control spray in cole crops was studied. The relative susceptibility of different weed species grown by themselves (1989) and with two crops (broccoli and onion; 1987) to ammonium nitrate (800 L ha⁻¹; 0, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 percent N) burning was investigated. The fertilizer controlled shepherd's-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), chickweed (Stellaria media), cudweed {Gnaphalium uliginosum), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), but not lamb's-quarters, purslane (Portulaca oleracea), and annual bluegrass (Poa annua). Corn spurry (Spergula arvensis) varied in its tolerance. Although weed populations were reduced by 70 percent in 1987, the remaining weeds competed so strongly with the onion and broccoli that the crop plants did not reach a harvestable size. The large initial weed population (799 plants m⁻²), the large number of tolerant weeds present, and the possible recovery of some of the susceptible weeds may all have been factors responsible for crop failure. The effect of different shepherd's-purse densities (52 to 988 plants m⁻²) on the degree of ammonium nitrate (800 L ha⁻¹; 20 percent N) control in broccoli was also studied. The initial weed control achieved was reduced over time either because some weeds counted as dead had recovered or new plants were being recruited to the population through seed germination. Although the maximum density of shepherd's-purse plants that survived was 219 plants m⁻², these plants did not significantly reduce crop yield possibly because shepherd's-purse is not a very competitive species and all the surviving weeds had been damaged to varying degrees, further reducing their competitive ability. The relative susceptibility of various crop cultivars to ammonium nitrate (800 L ha⁻¹; 0, 10, 15, 20 percent N) burning was also studied. In 1987, the growth rates of 'Lunet' (Brussels sprouts), ‘SGI' (broccoli), 'Elgon' (cauliflower), and 'Matra' (cauliflower) initially decreased but the plants recovered; they were largely unaffected in 1988. The growth rates of 'White Lisbon' (onion), 'Emperor' (broccoli), and 'Early Marvel' (cabbage) were largely unaffected in either year. Although some cultivars had shown initial signs of lower growth rates, there was no decrease in crop yield. Leaf surfaces of tolerant and susceptible crop and weed species were examined by scanning electron microscopy to determine the basis of ammonium nitrate selectivity. Leaf surfaces of tolerant species were completely covered with a crystalline wax layer, while susceptible species had little or no epicuticular wax. Cellulose acetate was used to remove the epicuticular wax from cabbage leaves. The stripped leaves showed far greater ammonium nitrate retention and salt injury than unstripped leaves, demonstrating the importance of the epicuticular wax in providing protection against ammonium nitrate injury. Trichomes, observed on the leaf surfaces of some susceptible species, may further increase ammonium nitrate retention and, therefore, salt injury. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.