Intercropping maize and succession crops alters the weed community in common bean under no-tillage

Abstract

Crop rotation is critical in the management of herbicide-resistant weed species. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intercropping systems of maize with brachiaria or crotalaria on qualitative and quantitative parameters of the weed seedbank, along the succession of pearl millet, maize and common bean. Moreover, the effect of these crop rotation systems on the selection of specific weed species of the seedbank was also evaluated. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four replications. The treatments were represented by three cropping systems in succession: pearl millet, single maize, common bean; pearl millet, maize intercropped with brachiaria, common bean; pearl millet, maize intercropped with crotalaria, common bean. The following phytosociological indexes were calculated: density, frequency and relative importance, diversity and equitability. The grain yield of maize and common bean were also quantified. Twenty-three weed species were identified, divided into 12 families, highlighting the Poaceae one, with the most important being Alternanthera tenella, Commelina benghalensis, Eleusine indica and Phyllanthus tenellus. The cropping system with single maize presented a lower density and diversity of weeds, but with a high selection of E. indica. The intercropping systems in the previous crop, as a guarantee of a higher weed diversity, could be use as alternative tools, different from the herbicides, to control weeds and improve the common bean yield. Regarding the weed control in the common bean, Crotalaria spectabilis presented better results in the previous maize-intercropping system than Urochloa ruziziensis.