Weed Interference in Okra Crop in the Organic System During the Dry Season

ABSTRACT: In organic systems during the dry season, competition of weeds with okra increases the critical period of interference of these species and yield losses. The objective of this research was to determine the critical period of weed interference in organic okra during the dry season in São Luís - MA. The experiment was conducted from October/2014 to January/2015 in randomized blocks, with four replicates. The treatments were the periods of 07, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 days after the transplanting of the crop with control and coexistence of the infesting community. The species with the highest importance value index were Cynodon dactylon, Eleusine indica, Amaranthus spinosus and Commelina benghalensis. The CPWI was 04 to 53 days after transplanting and yield losses were 69.5%. The organic okra cropping system during the season dry should be free of weeds until the beginning of the harvest to avoid high yield loss.