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Seedbank Composition and Periodicity of Seedling Emergence at Two Locations in Southeast Nigeria
Abstract
In a bid to improve the timing and efficacy of weed management, the population and composition of weed seedbanks, above-ground weed flora, and pattern of weed seedling emergence were investigated in fields previously under four years fallow and fields continuously cultivated for four years, at two different locations in southeast Nigeria. The fields were in Amaoba-Ime town, Abia State and Ohaji-Mgbidichi town, Imo State. The results suggest that only four years of fallow reduced the weed seedbank populations by 96 % in Amaoba-Ime and 75 % in Ohaji-Mgbidichi compared to the continuously cultivated fields. Likewise, the above-ground weed populations in the fallowed fields were 84 % and 80 % less than in continuously cropped fields in Amaoba-Ime and Ohaji-Mgbidichi, respectively. Continuous cropping favoured the spread of annuals, while perennials dominated fallowed fields. The results suggest that weed seeds emerging from four years of fallow were dormant for the first 21 days after exposure to light. Highest weed seedling emergence was observed on the 2nd and 4th weeks in the continuously cropped and fallowed fields, respectively.
