FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF DIGITARIA SANGUINALIS (L) SCOP. WEED FROM MAIZE CROP

Abstract

Being an annual monocotyledonous (AM) D.sanguinalis known widely spread thanks to the pronounced adaptability in maize crop. This weed competition takes place in particular by high densities due to bigger reserve of the kernels from the ground (Jiang DeFeng et al, 1997; Barberi et al, 1998). Weed management could be improved by conducting studies by reproductive variability (Hidayat& Preston, 1997; Culpepper et al, 1998; Wu JuYing et al, 1999). Characters studies had a pronounced degree of variability. Thus, the finger-like panicle had 1- 6 floors with ears, on formed 4-13 fingers-like ears (or spikes), being 6- 17 cm in length. In a ear on formed 20- 70 spikelets. They have a length between 2.0 and 4.1 mm and width of 0.3- 1.3 mm. Upper glume measured between 0.6 and 1.5 mm, and TSW- thousand spikelet weight of 0.20- 1.20 g. The correlations obtained had increasing trends, positive between no. of ears/ finger-like panicle with panicle length (r = 0.244***), and between finger-like panicle with no. of spikelets/ ear (r = 0.339***). Negative links found between spikelet dimensions (r = -0.061) and between no. of spikelets/ ear with thousand spikelets weight (TSW) (r = -.0118). Observed characteristics showed the D.sanguinalis species has a high capacity to adapt in maize crop.