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Ecological Study of Weeds of Sugarcane in District Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

PJWSR_31_2_83-89

Research Article

Ecological Study of Weeds of Sugarcane in District Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Ubaid Ullah Khan*, Maqsood Anwar, Muhammad Saqlain and Numan Tufail

Department of Botany, Government Post Graduate College Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract | The present research explains ecological study of weeds of Sugarcane in District Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This study was conducted during weeds growing seasons in sugarcane fields from October 2022 to January 2023. The weed flora of sugarcane in study area comprised 50 species spread in 42 genera and 24 families. Out of 24 families, 21 were dicots and 3 were monocots families. Amaranthaceae (9 species.) and Asteraceae (8 species.) were leading families. They were followed by Brassicaceae (4 species.), Euphorbiaceae and Poaceae each (3 species.), Caryophyllaceae, Plantaginaceae, Polygonaceae and Solanaceae each with (2 species.). The rest of 15 families were represented by single species each. Annuals shared 45 (90%) species while perennials contributed 05 (10%) species. Life form and leaf size spectra revealed that therophytes were foremost life form consisted of 45 (90%) species and microphylls were dominant class represented by 30 (60%) species. There were 41 (82%) species with simple leaves, 6 (12%) species with dissected or decompound leaves, while 3 (6%) species were represented by compound leaves. This study reveals that large number of weed plants invade sugarcane crop in the study area. For obtaining better yield, it is imperative to take suitable measures for weed control.


Received | September 03, 2024; Accepted | May 09, 2025; Published | June 02, 2025

*Correspondence | Ubaid Ullah Khan, Department of Botany, Government Post Graduate College Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Email: [email protected]

Citation | Khan, U.U., M. Anwar, M. Saqlain and N. Tufail. 2025. Ecological study of weeds of sugarcane in District Swabi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research, 31(2): 83-89.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.PJWSR/2025/31.2.83.89

Keywords | Floristic composition, Life form, Leaf size, Sugarcane, Swabi, Weeds

Copyright: 2025 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).



Introduction

District Swabi was declared and upgraded to district on 1st July 1988. Prior to the upgrade, it had been a tehsil of District Mardan since its founding in 1937. Presently, it is a large District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It lies between 72-13’ and 72- 49’ East longitude and 33-55’ and 34-23’ North latitude. District Buner borders it on the north, district Haripur borders it on the east, district Attock in the Punjab province borders it on the south, and districts Mardan and Nowshera border it on the west (Anwar et al., 2015). Swabi has four tehsils, Lahor, Topi, and Razar. The southern plains and the northern hilly region make up District Swabi. The district has a total area of 1,543 km2 and a population of 1.625 million according to the 2017 census. The climate of district Swabi is harsh, with scorching summers. From May on, there is a noticeable sharp increase in temperature. In June, it gets the hottest. The temperature steadily drops starting in October. The coldest month is January. The monsoon season, which spans July and August, received maximum rainfall during which the weather becomes hot and humid (Anwar et al., 2020).

Weeds are unwanted plants growing in cultivated as well as in domesticated and barren areas and adapted to various edaphic and climatic conditions (Anwar et

al., 2022). There are almost 30,000 weed plants in the world, out of them, more than 50 causing considerable damage to agricultural crops (Mahmood and Niaz, 1992). Weeds deplete crop quality and quantity by competing with them for resources like water, light, nutrients, and space (Dangwal et al., 2010). Certain weeds secrete allelo-chemicals that have an impact on the germination of seeds and the growth of cultivated and agricultural crops, according to Oudhia and Tripathi (1998). Weeds successfully invade new areas and form mutualistic relationships with insect pollinators, which has an impact on a variety of ecosystems (Jesse et al., 2006; Morale and Aizen, 2006).

The sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a significant long-duration C4 crop found in tropical and subtropical regions that produces about 35% of ethanol and 80% of the world’s sugar (Rathika et al., 2023). Sugarcane, also known as wonder cane, is a crop that grows slowly. The early stages of sugarcane growth are when crop-weed competition occurs. During the first 50 days of the sugarcane life, weeds have been observed to remove more than twice as much N, P, and K. Grasses, broad-leaved weeds, and sedges are the main weeds that affect sugarcane. Sedges grow in bunches or clusters and are grass-like perennial weeds. A variety of weed plants invade sugarcane crop in the area of research leading to significant crop yield losses. Therefore, the aim and objectives of the current study is to provide basic information about the weed ecology and development of weed management programs.

Materials and Methods

During the sugarcane growing seasons from November 2022 to January 2023, a floristic study of weeds in 10 sugarcane fields in the district Swabi was conducted. From these sugarcane fields, specimens of weed plants were carefully collected, dried, and preserved and then mounted on herbarium sheets. The “Flora of Pakistan” (Nasir and Ali, 1970-1989) was then used to identify them. Later, the identification was verified using online resources; The Plant List (www.theplantlist.org.) and Tropicos-Flora of Pakistan (www.tropicos.org/Project/Pakistan). With the help of Raunkiaer (1934) and Hussain (1989) manuals, weed plant species were classified into different life form and leaf size spectra. A comprehensive floristic list of weed plants with ecological features was alphabetically compiled according to Anwar et al. (2020).

Results and Discussion

A distinctive group of plant species in an area is known as the floristic composition or species composition. Numerous factors, including habitat, species diversity, composition, and geographic features, influence the species composition. The weed flora of sugarcane in the area of research comprised 50 species spread in 42 genera and 24 families (Table 1, Figure 4). Out of 24 families, 21 were dicots having (37 genera and 45 species) and 3 were monocots having (5 genera and 5 species). Annuals shared 45 (90%) species while perennials contributed 05 (10%) species (Table 2). Amaranthaceae (9 species) and Asteraceae (8 species) were leading families. Brassicaceae (4 species), followed by Euphorbiaceae and Poaceae (3 species each), Caryophyllaceae, Plantaginaceae, Polygonaceae and Solanaceae (2 species each) (Figure 1). The rest of 15 families were represented by single species each. Comparing with Inayat et al. (2014) who reported 43 weed species belonging to 39 genera and 17 families from wheat and sugarcane crop of district Charsadda, Pakistan. Similarly, Khan et al. (2011) enumerated 73 weed species belonging to 65 genera and 27 families from sugarcane crop of District Bannu, Pakistan. While working on weeds of sugarcane, Khan et al. (2017) listed 35 species belonging to 33 genera and 18 families from District Charsadda, Pakistan.

 

Table 1: Floristic composition and ecological characteristics of weeds of sugarcane crop in district Swabi.

S. No.

Divisions/families/species

Life form

Leaf size

Leaf type

Life span

A. Monocotyledonae

1. Commelinaceae

1

Commelina benghalensis L.

Geophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Perennial

2. Cyperaceae

2

Cyperus compressus Jacq.

Therophytes

microphyll

Simple

Annual

3. Poaceae

3

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn

Hemicryptophyte

Nanophyll

Simple

Perennial

4

Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

5

Brachiaria ramosa (L.) Stapf

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

B. Dicotyledonae

1. Amaranthaceae

6

Achyranthes aspera L.

Hemicryptophyte

Microphyll

Simple

Perennial

7

Aerva sanguinolenta (L.) Blume

Hemicryptophyte

Microphyll

Simple

Perennial

8

Alternanthera sessilis (L.)

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

9

Amaranthus blitum L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

10

A. graecizans L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

11

A.Viridis L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

12

Chenopodium album L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

13

C.ambrosioides L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

14

Digera muricata (L.) Mart.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

2. Apiaceae

15

Scandix pecten-veneris L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

3. Aristolochiaceae

16

Aristolochia rotunda L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Dissected

Annual

4. Asteraceae

17

Bidens pilosa L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

18

Calendula arvensis L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

19

Conyza canadensis (L.)

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

20

C. sumatrensis (S.F.Blake)

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

21

Eclipta prostrata (L.) L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

22

Gamochaeta pensylvanica (Willd.)

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

23

Parthenium hysterophorus L.

Therophytes

Mesophyll

Dissected

Annual

24

Xanthium strumarium L.

Therophytes

Mesophyll

Simple

Annual

5. Brassicaceae

25

Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik

Therophytes

Microphyll

Dissected

Annual

26

Coronopus didymus (L.) Sm.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Dissected

Annual

27

Rorippa dubia (Pers.) H. Hara

Therophytes

Mesophyll

Simple

Annual

28

R. islandica (Oederex Murray) Borbas

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

29

Nonea edgeworthii A.DC.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

6. Caesalpiniaceae

30

Cassia occidentalis hort. ex Steud.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Compound

Annual

7. Cannabaceae

31

Cannabis sativa L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Compound

Annual

8. Caryophyllaceae

32

Cerastium glomeratum Thuill

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

33

Stellaria media (L.) Vill

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

Table continues on next page..................

S. No.

Divisions/families/species

Life form

Leaf size

Leaf type

Life span

9. Euphorbiaceae

34

Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

35

E. heterophylla L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

36

E.hirta L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

10. Geraniaceae

37

Geranium rotundifolium L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Dissected

Annual

11. Malvaceae

38

Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke

Hemicryptophyte

Microphyll

Simple

perennial

12. Oxalidaceae

39

Oxalis corniculata L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

13. Papilionaceae

40

Pisum sativum L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Compound

Annual

14. Phrymaceae

41

Mazus pumilus (Burm.f.) Steenis

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

15. Plantaginaceae

42

Veronica hederifolia L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Simple

Annual

43

V.persica Poir.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

16. Polygonaceae

44

Persicaria barbata (L.) H. Hara

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

45

Rumex dentatus L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

17. Ranunculaceae

46

Ranunculus muricatus L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

18. Solanaceae

47

Physalis divaricate D. Don

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

48

Solanum nigrum L.

Therophytes

Mesophyll

Simple

Annual

19. Tiliaceae

49

Corchorus olitorius L.

Therophytes

Microphyll

Simple

Annual

20. Verbenaceae

50

Verbena officinalis L.

Therophytes

Nanophyll

Dissected

Annual

 

Similarly, Javed et al. (2023) reported 25 weed species of 10 families from sugarcane crop fields of district Sheikhupura (Punjab), Pakistan. According to Anwar et al. (2020) plant species belonging to family Poaceae, Papilionaceae, Asteraceae and Brassicaceae constitutes major weed flora in cultivated fields. Our findings are in agreement with them. Life span reveals that most of the weeds were annuals followed by perennials. The domination of annuals over perennials might be a response to harsh climate and biotic pressure. Leaves are the most important organs of most vascular plants. In the current study, simple leaves were dominant over dissected and compound leaves. This is might be a response to light, climate and seasonal variation.

The term life-form refers to the general appearance of the plant body. The terms leaf size spectrum and biological spectrum refer to the percentage distribution of various life forms and leaf size in the local flora. In vegetation analysis, life form and leaf size are two physiognomic characteristics and climate indicators of a region that are commonly utilized (Cain and Castro, 1959). In the present study, therophytes were dominant life form comprised 45 (90%) hemicryptophytes shared 4 (8%) species followed by geophytes 1 (2%) species (Table 2, Figure 2). Similar result was presented by Inayat et al. (2014) who described therophytes as a major life form followed by hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes. Similarly, therophytes, hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes were major life forms in the study of Javed et al. (2023). While studying weeds of different crops in Pakistan, therophytes were dominant in the study of Hussain et al. (2009), Fazlullah et al. (2015), Fazal et al. (2019) and Abdullah et al. (2021). The domination of therophytes indicated that the area was under biotic pressure and severe anthropogenic activities.

 

Table 2: Summary of ecological characteristics of weed flora of sugarcane in district Swabi.

S. No.

Ecological characteristics

Number

Percentage

Weed flora

I

Total species

50

---

II

Total genera

42

---

III

Total families

24

---

Life span

I

Annuals

45

90

II

Perennials

05

10

Life-form spectra

I

Therophytes

45

90

II

Hemicryptophytes

04

08

III

Geophytes

01

02

Leaf size spectra

I

Microphylls

30

60

II

Nanophylls

16

32

III

Mesophylls

04

08

Lamina shape/Leaf types

I

Simple

41

82

II

Dissected/Decompound

06

12

III

Compound

03

06

 

 

 

 

Cain and Castro (1959) suggested that therophytes are characteristics of harsh climate. Our findings are in agreement with them as the climate of the study area is harsh and extreme. Microphylls were dominant group (30 species; 60%) followed by nanophylls (16 species; 32%), and mesophylls (4 species; 8%) in the current exploration (Table 2, Figure 3). Our findings are in according with the results of Fazlullah et al. (2015) who reported microphylls as major leaf size classes. Inayat et al. (2014) described microphylls as leading group followed by leptophylls, nanophylls and mesophylls. This might be similar climate and seasonality. Our findings are in contrast with the results presented by Abdullah et al. (2021) who recorded mesophylls as dominant group followed by macrophylls, microphylls, leptophylls and aphyllous. This might be due to climate, seasonality and different habitat conditions.

Conclusions and Recommendations

It is concluded that a high quantity of weed plants are present in sugarcane fields in the study area, leading to significant crop yield losses. To improve yield, it is crucial to implement effective mechanical, chemical and biological methods for weed management.

Acknowledgement

The authors are equally thankful to those who helped us in field survey, plant collection and plant identification.

Novelty Statement

This study provides the first ecological analysis of sugarcane weeds in District Swabi, Pakistan. It contributes valuable baseline data for developing affective weeds managment strategies.

Author’s Contribution

Maqsood Anwar: Supervision, technical support and proof reading.

Ubaid Ullah Khan: Data analysis and write up.

Muhammad Saqlain: Field work and data collection.

Numan Tufail: data collection and plant identification.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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