Competitive interaction between red beet and weeds, as affected by different weeding time
Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, Kauno str. 30, LT-543333, Babtai, Kaunas distr., Lithuania,telephone: +370-37-555-226, fax: +370-37-555-176, e-mail: d.kavaliauskaite@lsdi.lt
Abstract:
The competitive interactions between two red beet cultivars (‘Pablo F ’, prostrate,1and ‘Kamuoliai’, ect.) and weeds, affected at different weeding times, were studied for three years at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture. In all years, a long period of weeding gave lower crop biomass reduction of both cultivars. When weeding was delayed from 2 to 12 weeks after red beet germination the crop biomass of both cultivars was reduced by much more than half. From weed density studies, crop competition during long period of weeding reduced the number of germinating weed species and lowered seed germination of Chenopodium album L., Galinsoga parviflora Cav., Cappsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., Stellaria media (L.) Vill. The two cultivars of red beet showed the same response to competition.
Key words:
competitive interaction, red beet, weed