DefinePK

Abstract

Ecological studies in maize (Zea mays L.) fields of Mastuj valley was conducted to record the weeds in three villages. Forty-three 43 species belonging to 19 families were recorded. It included seventeen dicotyledonous, one monocotyledon and one pteridophyte families. Asteraceae was prominent with eight species which was followed by Papilionaceae and Polygonaceae with six and four species. Poaceae and Caryophyllaceae were represented by three species each. Five families had two while nine families had one species. Therophytes were abundant succeeded by geophytes with four and hemicryptophytes with two species. Microphyll (thirteen species) and mesophyll (twelve species) were leading leaf-sizes. Nanophyll had (nine species), macrophyll (eight species) and leptophyll had only one species. Phenologically forty one were in flowering and two species were in dying/post-reproductive stages. The abundance assessment indicated that 18 species were occasional, 9 frequent, 8 rare, 5 common and 3 were abundant. The weeds were classified into fodder (37 spp.), medicinal (13 ssp.), vegetables (8 spp.) and oil yielding (1 sp.). Weed management procedures must be practiced to control the weed infusion and invasion. Weeds must be categorized into economic use classes to get additional economic values. Pre-mature hand pulling of whole plant of noxious weeds is recommended. Future researches to conserve the genetic resources through their propagation and distribution is strongly recommended. The traditional cereal crops pattern must be practiced to conserve the vanishing agro plant biodiversity.
Keywords: Mastuj Valley; Maize; Crop; Weeds; Diversity
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2016.50129