Weed interference in the sweet sorghum crop

This work aimed to carry out a phytosociological study and to determine the critical period of weed interference on sweet sorghum crop. The experimental design adopted was randomized blocks with three replications. Treatments consisted by increasing periods of control or coexistence of weeds in different phenological stages of crop growth: 0-3 (V-3), 0-5 (V-5), 0-7 (V-7), 0-9 (V-9), 0-11(V-11) fully expanded leaves and 0-R-5 (harvest). The weed community was evaluated based on number the number of individuals and their correspondent dry mass accumulation, for each weed population in different periods of coexistence. Sweet sorghum was harvested at 101 days after emergence, when was measured plant height, culm diameter, total soluble solids (degrees Brix) in function of coexistence periods between crop and weeds, besides the yield of culms. Commelina benghalensis e Panicum maximum were the two species of higher relative importance at the crop harvested. The lack of weed control, during the crop cycle, caused an increase in total soluble solids (degrees Brix) and reduction of, respectively, 9 and 25% in plant height and culms diameter when compared with the hoed control during all cycle. Accepting losses of 5% in culm yield, was observed that the critical period of weed interference corresponded to the period of time between the phenological growth stage V-3 to V-11.