Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Interference in Simulated Sweetpotato Plant Beds

• Published in: Weed science Vol. 68; no. 4; pp. 405 - 410
• Main Authors: Meyers, Stephen L., Barickman, T. Casey, Main, Jeffrey L., Horgan, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA The Weed Science Society of America 01.07.2020; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Cyperus esculentus; Density; Ipomoea batatas; Lugs; Masonry; Polyethylene; Polyethylenes; RESEARCH ARTICLE; Roots; Seeds; Substrates; Tubers; weed ecology; Weeds; Weed–crop interaction; United States > US; Mississippi; Weed–crop interaction; weed ecology
• ISSN: 0043-1745; 1550-2759
• DOI: 10.1017/wsc.2020.26

Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2016 at Pontotoc and Verona, MS. On March 3 (Pontotoc) and March 7 (Verona), landscape fabric was placed in the bottom of polyethylene lugs, each 0.22 m2, then approximately 5 cm of a 1:1 (v/v) blend of soilless potting media and masonry sand was added. ‘Beauregard’ sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L). Lam.] storage roots weighing between 85 and 227 g, and several with emerging sprouts ≤1 cm, were placed longitudinally in a single layer on the substrate, then covered with an additional 3 cm of the substrate. Sprouted yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) tubers were transplanted equidistantly into sweetpotato-containing lugs at six densities: 0, 18, 36, 73, 109, and 145 m–2. Trials were terminated 55 and 60 d after planting at Pontotoc and Verona, respectively. Predicted total sweetpotato stem cuttings (slips) decreased linearly from 399 to 312 m–2 as C. esculentus density increased from 0 to 145 m–2. Predicted total slip dry weight at a C. esculentus density of 145 m–2 was reduced 21% compared with 0 m–2. Predicted rotten sweetpotato storage roots increased from 2.6 to 11.3 m–2 as C. esculentus density increased from 0 to 145 m–2. In response to increasing C. esculentus density, sweetpotato seed roots exhibited increased proximal-end dominance.