One experiment was conducted at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil, during 1996/97, to characterize the life-cycle of alexandergrass (Brachiaria plantaginea) when developed under several levels (0 to 10,5 t/ha) of black oat (Avena strigosa) residues on the soil surface. Weed seeds were more frequent at the upper layers of the soil profile. The crop residues affected alexandergrass seedling emergence, with 4,5 and 0,08% seed germination from the seedbank, for residue levels of 0 and 10,5 t/ha, respectively. High seedling mortality was observed at all crop residue levels. Increasing the levels of residues reduced the density of adult plants and increased plant dry weight, but maintained biomass per area. The results demonstrate that the phases of alexandergrass life-cycle are affected by the level of crop residues on the soil surface, and that the seed germination and seedling emergence are the phases most sensitive to the treatments tested.
Brachiaria plantaginea; Avena strigosa; no-till; soil conservation; crop residues; weed