WEED FLORA OF CHICKPEA IN DISTRICT LAKKI MARWAT, NWFP

A survey was conducted to highlight the flora infesting chickpea in District Lakki Marwat, NWFP during February 2004. The relative density of weeds of chickpea was determined using quadrate method. Structural variability in the floristic composition varied across the locations. Fumaria indica ranked as the top scorer at Ghazni Khel and Tattar Khel having the Importance Value of 25 and 14.3, respectively. These species failed to represent at Masha Mansoor and Tajazai, while its value at Dalo Khel also ranked among the unimportant species. Similarly, Carthamus oxyacantha M. Bieb. ; the worst annual thorny broadleaf weed of the sandy soils of the country attained the highest Importance value (17.9) at Masha Mansoor only, emerged as the rare weed at Dalo Khel and was altogether absent at 3 locations of the studied sites. However, Medicago denticulata Willd. ranking at the top in Dalo Khel (23.5) had a reasonable stand at all other locations depicting its widespread occurrence in chickpea in District Lakki Marwat. The average Importance Value and ranking depicted Astraglaus spp, Medicago denticulata Willd., Fumaria indica L. and Asphodelus tenuifolius L. as the most important weeds of chickpea fields of the District Lakki Marwat. Only judicious management of these species may enable the chickpea growers to harvest bumper yields of their crop.