Interference periods of velvet bean in sugarcane

ABSTRACT: The objective of the present study was to determine the periods of interference of velvet bean on ratoons of sugarcane cultivar 'RB855536' and to identify its potential for decreasing the crop yield and the quality of the harvested product. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, with 18 treatments divided into two groups and four replicates per treatment. In the first group, the sugarcane was kept free from velvet bean interference for nine different periods, beginning at bud sprouting: 0-15, 0-30, 0-45, 0-60, 0-90, 0-120, 0-150, and 0-180 days after budding (DAB) and 0-harvest. In the second group, sugarcane was grown in coexistence with velvet bean during the same periods described for the first group. The critical period of interference prevention for velvet bean in ratoons of sugarcane cv. 'RB 855536' lasted 138 days, from 50 DAB (pre-interference period [PIP]) to188 DAB (total period of weed interference prevention [TPIP]). Velvet bean interference caused a 50% decrease in sugarcane yield and negatively affected the quality of the harvested product.