Influence of Chromolaena odorata and Mucuna pruriens fallow duration on weed infestation

Summary Fallow management is a major strategy for weed control and soil fertility restoration in tropical farming systems. From 1995 to 1998, weed infestation was evaluated in plots managed under 0, 1, 2 and 3 year fallow durations of (1) a natural bush fallow dominated by Chromolaena odorata ; (2) a planted Mucuna pruriens fallow; and (3) a modified bush fallow without C. odorata . The study was conducted at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin City, Nigeria. The 3 × 4 factorial experiment was set up in a split plot arrangement. The three fallow types were the main plots and the four fallow durations were the subplots. Each year, the subplots were planted to maize ( Zea mays , cv. TZSR-W) as appropriate and harvested 14 weeks after planting for yield comparison. Continuous cropping and the modified natural bush fallow increased weed diversity and biomass. Irrespective of fallow type, weed infestation was more gradual in the first year of cropping after fallow than in subsequent cropping years. Regardless of cropping intensity, C. odorata and M. pruriens fallows promoted broad-leaved weeds, chiefly Ageratum conyzoides , Tridax procumbens and Phyllanthus amarus , whereas the modified bush fallow promoted grasses. Maize grain yield was higher in the C. odorata and M. pruriens fallows than in the modified bush fallow, but the yield difference diminished with cropping intensity.