Effects of Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Vegetative Growth and Fruit Yield

Abstract

Additive series experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions to determine the effect of season-long interference of different initial population densities of purple nutsedge on the shoot dry weight and fruit yield of tomato and bell pepper. Purple nutsedge densities up to 200 plants/m2linearly reduced shoot dry weight at flowering and fruit yield of both crops as weed density increased. Both variables were directly correlated, and for each percentage unit of tomato shoot dry weight loss at flowering, fruit yield was reduced 1.24 units, whereas for bell pepper this relationship was 1 to 2.01. Total shoot and tuber biomass of purple nutsedge increased as density increased. The presence of either crop caused a decline in the total shoot dry weight accumulation of purple nutsedge, with tomato producing a higher degree of loss than bell pepper to the weed. Fruit yield losses due to purple nutsedge interference reached 44% for tomato and 32% for bell pepper.