WEED COMMUNITIES OF SUNFLOWER CROP IN SUKKUR AND KHAIRPUR, SINDH: AUTUMN ASPECT

The survey of weed communities of sunflower crop was conducted in five sunflower growing areas of Sukkur and Khairpur districts during 2003. A total of 33 weed species belonging to 30 genera and 15 angiosperm families were recorded. Five weed communities viz.: 1) Cyperus-Eclipta-Brachiaria in Ghulam Qasim Jiskani (district Khairpur), 2) Dactyloctenium-Cyperus- Brachiaria in Kotedji (district Khairpur), 3) Trianthema- Cyperus-Brachiaria in Keti Pir Pagara (district Khairpur), 4) Cyperus-Dactyloctenium-Cucumis in Riazabad (district Sukkur) and 5) Cyperus-Euphorbia-Rhynchosia in Sangi (district Sukkur) were recognized. The most widespread weed species of these communities was Cyperus rotundus Linn. It was followed by Brachiaria eruciformis (J.E Smith) Griseb., Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd, Trianthema portulacastrum Linn., Eclipta prostrata Ait., Euphorbia hirta Forsk., Rhynchosia minima (Linn.) DC. and Cucumis melo var. agrestis Naudin.