Diversity of weeds in highland wheat crops of Northern Ethiopia
In sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia ranks second to South Africa in terms of both acreage sown and production of wheat. Heavy infestations of weeds are often highlighted as a cause for low wheat yield, and yield loss can range between 10% and 70%. The majority of farmers in Ethiopia use a cheap unclean mixture of wheat seed for sowing, which is considered to enhance the spread of weeds. A field survey has been undertaken in the area of Debark (in 3 administrative units), in North Gondar in the highlands of Ethiopia. As a result 24 weeds with their frequency and density were listed as follows:
|
Weed species
|
Frequency (%)
|
Density (%)
|
|
Andropogon abyssinicus (Poaceae)
|
3.7
|
0.4
|
|
Avena vaviloviana (Poaceae)
|
42.6
|
6.5
|
|
Bidens prestinaria (Asteraceae)
|
9.3
|
0.7
|
|
Bromus pectinatus (Poaceae)
|
37
|
7
|
|
Chrysanthemum segetum (Asteraceae)
|
84.3
|
53.6
|
|
Commelina benghalensis (Commelinaceae)
|
16.7
|
1.5
|
|
Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae)
|
25
|
7.8
|
|
Digitaria abyssinica (Poaceae)
|
9.3
|
1.2
|
|
Erucastrum arabicum (Brassicaceae)
|
12
|
1
|
|
Galinsoga parviflora (Asteraceae)
|
42.6
|
10.7
|
|
Galium spurium (Rubiaceae)
|
66.7
|
24.9
|
|
Guizotia scabra (Asteraceae)
|
25
|
2.4
|
|
Lolium temulentum (Poaceae)
|
29.6
|
3.1
|
|
Medicago polymorpha (Fabaceae)
|
65.7
|
13.5
|
|
Oxalis latifolia (Oxalidaceae)
|
3.7
|
0.5
|
|
Phalaris paradoxa (Poaceae)
|
36.1
|
9.8
|
|
Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae)
|
9.3
|
0.8
|
|
Polygonum aviculare (Polygonaceae)
|
33.3
|
3.9
|
|
Polygonum nepalense (Polygonaceae)
|
85.2
|
40.7
|
|
Rumex bequaertii (Polygonaceae)
|
35.2
|
3
|
|
Snowdenia polystachya (Poaceae)
|
26.8
|
6.2
|
|
Spergula arvensis (Caryophyllaceae)
|
63
|
18.7
|
|
Stellaria media (Caryophyllaceae)
|
36.1
|
5.4
|
|
Trifolium rueppellianum (Fabaceae)
|
18.5
|
3.5
|
Sources
Asres B ; Das T K (2011) Diversity and integrated management of weeds in highland wheat of Northern Ethiopia. Plant Protection Quarterly 26(1), 8-15.