Full Length Research Paper

Influence of some cover leguminous plants on the infestation degree of cotton plant major weeds

J. Ipou Ipou¹*, A. Touré¹, L. M. D. Adou¹, Y. Touré² and S. Aké³

¹Laboratory of Botany, UFR Biosciences, University of Cocody-Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22, Ivory Coast.

²CNRA, Station cotton, 01 BP 633 Bouaké o1, Ivory Coast.

³Laboratory of Vegetable Physiology, UFR Biosciences, University of Cocody-Abidjan, 22 BP 582 Abidjan 22,

Ivory Coast.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: joseph.ipou@univ-cocody.ci.Tel: +225 22441574

Accepted 5 August, 2010

 Abstract

From phytosociological sampling carried out between 1999 and 2005 in cotton culture in the North of Ivory Coast, more than 230 weeds species were inventoried. Among those, Euphorbia heterophylla, Ageratum conizoides, Bidens pilosa Tridax procumbens, Boerhavia diffusa and Chromolaena odorata were the most abundant species causing weeding problems to farmers. A test that used herbaceous Fabaceae: Crotalaria sericea, Mucuna pruriens, Pueraria phaseoloides and Vigna unguiculata to control these weeds was carried out in some localities at Bouaké in the center of the country, Korhogo in North and Odienné in the North-West. The results showed that annual Leguminous species like C. sericea, M. pruriens and V. unguiculata, used in previous culture, decreased the rate of weeds on the different plots. P. phaseoloides, Leguminous perennial species was indicated in improved fallow.

Key words: Leguminous plants, weeds, cotton, Ivory Coast.