Competitive ability of transgenic soybean cultivars coexisting with weeds

Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine the competitive ability of soybean cultivars in the presence of cobbler’s pegs and wild poinsettia in association in different plant proportions. The experiment was conducted in blocks randomized design, four replications. The weeds tested included cobbler’s pegs and the wild poinsettia with the soybean cultivars, the ratios of 30: 0; 20:10; 15:15; 10:20 and 00:30 pot-1 crop plants: weed. At 50 days after emergence of the crop and/or weed the plants variables: leaf area (LA) and dry weight of shoot (DM) were evaluated. There was competition between the soybean cultivars in the presence of cobbler’s pegs and/or wild poinsettia being adversely affected, irrespective of the proportion of plants, resulting in all cases reduction in LA and DM of the species. Soybean in general showed higher competitiveness than cobbler’s pegs and/or wild poinsettia. The wild poinsettia is more aggressive than the cobbler’s pegs causing lower production of LA and DM of the soybean cultivars. The interspecific competition caused a greater harm to LA and DM of the species than the intraspecific competition. Basically, is the competition for the same environment resources of the soybean crop with the weeds cobbler’s pegs and wild poinsettia.