Yield Reduction of Maize and Cottonfrom Intra-Row Competition by Brachiaria reptans

Abstract

From 4 to 32 seedlings of Brachiaria reptans were allowed to complete with maize and cotton in one meter row lengths. Even at the lowest density of B. reptans, cotton yield was reduced by an average of almost 40 percent and maize yield by almost 20 percent. There was no consistently greater yield reduction of either cotton or maize at the higher densities of B. reptans. The marginal rate of return from weed control in both maize and cotton was high.