ABSTRACT

Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq) Kunth ex Walp) is a legume that has been used in agroforestry systems, for animal feed and contribution to soil fertility. During the cultivation of the crop, it is necessary to carry out weed management, as these can interfere with the growth and development of gliricidia, and it is essential to know the competitive ability of the crop with weeds. In view of the above, the objective was to evaluate the competitiveness of gliricidia coexisting with the weeds Senna obtusifolia(sicklepod), Commelina benghalensis(benghal dayflower), Bidens subalternans(beggarticks), Ipomoea triloba(morning glory) and Urochloa brizantha(signalgrass). The experiment was set up in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design, with four replications. Each experimental unit consisted of a pot containing a gliricidia seedling in coexistence with three weeds of each species, in addition to the monoculture of the six species, as a comparison standard. The initial growth of gliricidia seedlings and weeds was evaluated through stem diameter, plant height, counting the number of leaves; root volume; and dry matter of leaves, stem and root. The data were submitted to analysis of variance (p<0.05) and when significant, the means were compared using the Tukey test. The competition of gliricidia with weeds resulted in a reduction in the increment of all analyzed variables. The results obtained showed that all weeds, with the exception of C. benghalensis, interfered negatively in the growth of the tree species.

Keywords
Interference; Gliricidia; Management; Agroforestry