Effect of Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) Population Densities on the Yield of Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 32; no. 3; p. 431
• Main Authors: Morales-Payan, J.P, Stall, W.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.1997
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.32.3.431D

Field experiments were conducted in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to determine the effect of increasing population densities of purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) on the yield of eggplant ( Solanum melongena ). Purple nutsedge populations were established by transplanting viable tubers on 1-m-wide soil beds previously fumigated to suppress volunteer weeds. Nutsedge densities were 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 plants (tubers) per m 2 . `Jira' eggplants and purple nutsedge were transplanted the same day and were allowed to interfere season-long. Purple nutsedge initial population densities of up to 100 plants per m 2 did not significantly affect the fruit yield of `Jira' eggplants. However, nutsedge densities between 100 and 200 plants per m 2 had a significant impact on eggplant yield, causing a linear decline in fruit yield as purple nutsedge density increased. Eggplant fruit yield loss was 22.3% at the density of 200 nutsedge plants per m 2 .