Weed interference is one of the main factors limiting sugarcane yield. Currently, there is little data on the density of weed species capable of causing economic damage to sugarcane. This work aimed to analyze the interference of Brachiaria brizantha in the morphological development of the sugarcane varieties RB72454, RB867515 and SP801816. The trial was installed under field conditions, with the treatments consisting of 12 densities of B. brizantha, as follows: 0, 1, 3, 7, 15, 32, 40, 32, 64, 92, 88 and 112; 0, 1, 4, 14, 10, 18, 28, 30, 36, 54, 52 and 72; 0, 1, 3, 6, 14, 20, 24, 26, 26, 32, 46 and 56 plants m-2 for the varieties RB72454; RB867515 and SP801816, respectively. One hundred and twenty days after emergence (DAE) of both the sugarcane plants and the weeds, shoot dry mass (SDM), leaf area (LA), diameter (D) and number of stems (NS), plant height (PH) and number of leaves of the crop were quantified. At harvest (350 DAE), crop yield (CY) was estimated. As B. brizantha density increased, lower values for leaf area, number of stems, dry mass and sugarcane yield were observed. On the other hand, as density increased, there was a correspondent increase in height and diameter of sugarcane stems. Variety RB72454 was the most affected by the iincrease of weed species density.
weeds; Saccharum spp; integrated management
