Weed Suppression With Babassu Straw and spatial Rice Arrangement

Abstract

Soil cover and spatial crop arrangement are practices that can suppress weeds. The study aimed to evaluate the babassu straw cover and the spatial arrangement of rice crops as weed control. The experiment was conducted in two rice arrangements spatial, the first, with a spacing of 35 cm and sowing density of 87 kg ha^-1 (S₃₅D₈₇); and the second, with a spacing of 45 cm and sowing density of 68 kg ha^-1(S₄₅D₆₈), and four amounts of babassu straw (0.0; 8.5; 12.5 and 16.5 t ha^-1). Weed density, dry mass, phytosociology, and crop productivity were assessed. Babassu straw at 16.5 t ha^-1 in the two crop arrangements reduced weed density from 66.8 to 76.2% and increased rice productivity. The most important weeds were Cyperus spp, Murdania nudiflora (L.) Brenan and Phyllanthus niruri L. Babassu straw cover and rice crop arrangement were efficient in the weeds suppression.