J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2011 Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online) Vol. 1, No. 6, p. 30-38, 2011 http://www.innspub.net RESEARCH PAPER

OPEN ACCESS

Ecological aspects of weed flora of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) fields of Visakhapatnam District, A.P., India Prayaga Murty Pragada1*, Salugu Bodayya Padal2, Borra Rama Krishna2, Duvvada Srinivasa Rao1, VadamaLakshmi Narayana1 1

Department of Botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530003, A.P., India Mrs. A.V.N. College, Visakhapatnam, A.P., India

2

Received: 05 October 2011 Revised: 28 October 2011 Accepted: 29 October 2011

Key words: Weeds, turmeric field, phytosociology, Visakhapatnam, A.P, India. Abstract Turmeric (Curcuma longa L) is one of the most valuable spices all over the world and important medicinal plant. Visakhapatnam is one of the turmeric (Curcuma longa L) growing areas it is being grown during rainy season and is a long duration crop. Turmeric fields are severely infested with 118 (94 dicots, 24 monocots) weed species belonging to 99 genera and 36 families. Parthenium hysterophorus was most abundant weed followed by Elephantopus scaber, Merremia hederacea, Merremia tridentata and Conyza stricta etc . Parthenium hysterophorus followed by Cyperus rotundus, Cynodon dactylon and Trianthema portulacastrum, Boerhavia diffusa etc., were found to be most densely populated weeds. Cyperus rotundus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Boerhavia diffusa and, Cynodon dactylon and Trianthema portulacastrum etc. were high frequency species. The Important Value Index calculated for the individual weed species encountered in field revealed interesting results. Parthenium hysterophorus was the most important species followed by the Cyperus rotundus, Trianthema portulacastrum, Cynodon dactylon and Boerhavia diffusa. Out of 118 species: A class is represented by 56 species followed by 37 under B, 19 under C and 4 under D, 2 species under E. There is an urgent need to take necessary intervention to create awareness among the farmers for adopting integrated weed management strategies to improve and maintain the quality and yield of turmeric. Further research work is needed in the fields of weed control and weed biology. *Corresponding

Author: Prayaga Murty Pragada  [email protected]

30 | Pragada et al.

J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2011 Introduction

number of weeds compete for nutrients, moisture

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is one of the most

and space causing considerable yield reduction

valuable spices all over the world and important

(Daulay and Singh, 1982). Weeds compete with crops

medicinal plant. It is to prevent cancer diseases,

for physical resources of environment, exhibit

tumours and the production of free radicals, and to

allelopathy, provide habitats for other harmful

improve liver and kidney functions (Hermann and

organisms cause problems during harvest, ploughing

Martin, 1991)

found antibacterial activities of

and seed purification. The farmers, therefore, control

essential oils in Curcuma longa L. It has been used

the weeds, to enhance productivity. The biology of

for a long time in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar,

weeds including identification and distribution, also

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand as a spice, cosmetic

deserve attention for effective control. The ecological

and medicine. It is cultivated mainly in India,

information has always been pre-requisite for such

Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,

efforts. Weeds of sugarcane fields (Adiseshu, 1997;

Bangladesh,

Prayaga Murty, 2009) and Weed flora of crop fields

Taiwan

and

China.

The

world

production of turmeric is estimated to be about 1,

(Prayaga

Murty

2009))

have

been

reported.

60,000 tonnes, of which India accounts for 78 per

However, no such reference exists on the weeds of

cent (Anon., 1999). In India, it is grown over an area

turmeric fields from Visakhapatnam district. Present

of 1, 40,000 ha with a average production of 6,

study an attempt has been taken to collect

00,000 tonnes and the productivity is 4.29 tonnes

information on distribution of weeds of turmeric

per ha (Anon., 1999). It is mainly grown in the states

fields from different areas of Visakhapatnam district

of Andhra Pradesh (51,900 ha), Orissa (19,700 ha),

for the first time.

Tamil Nadu (15,200 ha), Assam (10,000 ha) and Karnataka (4,100 ha) (Anon., 1999). On account of

Materials and methods

its flavour and medicinal properties, turmeric is also

Study area

used in the preparation of cosmetics, soaps,

Visakhapatnam district, with an area of 13,460 Sq.

ointments; face creams toothpastes etc. (Pujari et al.,

Km accredited as the largest district in the Northern

1986). The average composition of turmeric is

Andhra Pradesh. It lies between 170 12‟ to 830 33‟ N

moisture (6.0%), protein (6.5%), ash (6.0%), crude

latitudes and 82018‟ to 83022‟ E longitudes. In the

fibre (3.0%), starch (5.0%), fixed oil (3.5%), volatile

Northern side it borders with Srikakulam district, in

oil (4.5%) and curcumin (3.1%) (Manjunath et al.,

the North West side Orissa, Bay of Bengal in the East

1991). Weed surveys are useful for determining the

and South and East Godavari District in the South

occurrence and importance of weed species in crop

West. The soils are red ferruginous loams mixed with

production systems (Frick and Thomas, 1992).

quartzite in the hill slopes and sandy to clay in the

Documenting the kinds of weed species and its

lower slopes and villages. In valleys the soil is fertile

relative distribution facilitates the establishment of

and characterized by the presence of humus on top.

priorities

services

Calcareous and lateritic soils are met with in the

(McClosky et al., 1998). The presence of weeds in the

more open and badly eroded terrain. In the densely

fields and their impact on the crop production and

wooded parts the ground is covered with a thick layer

environment has been well documented (Morse et

of humus.

al., 1995; Randall, 1996; Fröhlich et al., 2000;

conditions from plain regions to hilly areas. Near

Hassan and Marwat, 2001).

coast, the air is moist and relaxing, but gets warmer

for

research

and

extension

District shows variation in climatic

towards the interior and cools down in the hilly areas Visakhapatnam is one of the turmeric (Curcuma

because of elevation and vegetation. The temperature

longa L) growing areas it is being grown during rainy

is low and cool climate is seen in the hilly regions

season and is a long duration crop. Hence, a large

compared to the plains. The mean maximum

31

J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2011 temperature is 33.60C and the mean minimum

Based on Raunkiaer (1934), the frequency classes of

temperature is 21.00C. In some hill areas like

weed species were determined. Accordingly there are

Anantagiri, Araku, Paderu and Chintapalli the

5 frequency classes, i.e. „A‟ class with the species of

100C

or even low during the

frequency ranging from 1-20%; „B‟ class 21-40%; „C‟

months of December and January. The rainfall varies

class 41-60%; „D‟ class 61-80% and „E‟ class 81-100%.

from plain to hill regions, hilly areas receive more

Further the weed community frequency patterns

rainfall than the plain regions. The annual rainfall in

were compared with the normal frequency pattern of

the hill regions is 1000-2000 mm while that of the

Raunkiaer (A>B>C>=DB>C>D>E.

narayana 1932; Chandrasingh and Narayana Rao 1973; Sen 1981; Rao 1986; Prayaga Murty, 2009). Some of the weeds reported from the study area i.e. Abutilon crispum, Abutilon indicum, Aristolochia

From

the

bracteolate, Aristolochia indica, Boerhavia diffusa,

obtained results it is clearly established that most of

Commelina

the weed species encountered in the turmeric crop

Cyperus

field fall under A, B,C, D and E frequency classes and

Hybanthus

hence

Pedalium murex, Phyla nodiflora, Trianthema

the

weed

vegetation

is

relatively

rotundus,

Cynodon

dactylon,

Heliotropium

indicum,

enneaspermus,

Mimosa

pudica,

portulacastrum, Tridax procumbens etc., are of

heterogeneous.

medicinal

importance

used

in

pharmaceutical

industries . The weeds like Alternanthera sessilis,

Discussion The

benghalensis,

frequently occurring

species

viz

Cyperus

Amaranthus

spinosus,

Amaranthus

viridis,

rotundus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Boerhaavia

Commelina benghalensis, Digera muricata, Eleusine

diffusa,

Trianthema

indica, Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis latifolia, Portulaca

portulacastrum, Chloris barbata, Perotis indica,

oleracea, Portulaca quadrifida, Solanum nigrum,

Sphaeranthus

Trianthema portulacastrum etc. are used as leafy

Cynodon indicus,

dactylon,

Alternanthera

sessilis,

Phyllanthus amarus, Cyperus difformis and Digera

vegetables. Solanum nigrum,

muricata are also found in other crops where they

,Trianthe portulacastrum etc. are used for certain

are known to cause heavy yield losses due to

cooking recipes in the study area. These finding are

competition for nutrients, water, and space and

in great analogy of Gupta etal., (2008) and Dangwal

sometimes through the release of allelochemicals

etal., (2010). The present study may be helpful in

(Rabbani and Bajwa,2001). Out of 118, majority of

identification of weeds of turmeric field. It may be

species reported in different crop fields of North

useful for taxonomists, agriculturists and scientists

Coastal Andhra Pradesh by Prayaga Murty (2009);

involved in the management of weeds. There is an

78 weed species reported by Adiseshu (1997) from

urgent need to take necessary intervention to create

sugarcane field of Anakapalli, most of the species are

awareness

similar to the present study. Cyperus rotundus is

integrated weed management strategies to improve

one of the prominent weed of the present study. This

and maintain the quality and yield of turmeric.

weed is the native of India but has become

Further research work is needed in the fields of weed

cosmopolitan, spread over most of the tropic

control and weed biology.

among

the

Portulaca oleracea

farmers

for

adopting

countries, and is treated as the world‟s worst weed. (Holm et al. 1977). It is one of the weeds that appear

Acknowledgement

immediately after sowing and may compete heavily

Author is grateful to agricultural officers, forest

with the crop plants for nutrients and water. Majority

officers, local farmers and local peoples for their help

of the weed species which are noted in this work are

during field work.

36

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