Interference of large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) with snap beans

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of large crabgrass densities of 0.5 to 8 plants m-1 of row and emergence time on snap bean yield. Large crabgrass was planted either along with snap beans (early) or when the first trifoliate leaf of snap beans was opening (late). Observed yield loss ranged from 46 to 50%, and predicted yield loss ranged from 53 ? 29.3% to 63 + 18.3%. Relative leaf area was correlated to snap bean yield (r2 = 0.88 to 0.92). The relative damage coefficient (q), an indication of the competitiveness of large crabgrass with snap bean, was 1.65 ? 1.03 and 1.26 ? 0.72 for early- and late-emerging large crabgrass, respectively. Early-emerging large crabgrass reduced snap bean biomass 10 to 28% and snap bean pod numbers 44 to 60%, depending on the density. Because of intraspecies com- petition, leaf area index and number of seed for large crabgrass were reduced with increasing density. Emergence of > 2 plants m-1 of large crabgrass with snap beans should be controlled to avoid significant yield loss