Competition of Florida Beggarweed and Sicklepod with Peanuts I. Effects of Periods of Weed-free Maintenance or Weed Competition

Peanut (Arachis hypogaeaL. ‘Tifspan’ or ‘Florunner’) yields were not reduced when the crop was maintained free of Florida beggarweed [Desmodium tortuosum(Sw.) DC.] or sicklepod (Cassia obtusifoliaL.) for 4 weeks after crop emergence and when vigorous crop growth was maintained for the remainder of the season. Sometimes weed-free maintenance for only 2 weeks resulted in near-normal yields, which indicated that the canopy of peanut leaves effectively suppressed the weeds. Conversely, these weeds had to compete with peanuts for more than 10 weeks before crop yield was reduced. Weeds that overtopped the peanuts at harvest emerged during the first 6 weeks after planting.