FAS Abstracts 2004 Meeting Page

Agricultural Sciences (AGR): AGR-15

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Competitiveness of four Basil (Ocimum basilicum) types with Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus). J.P. MORALES-PAYAN and W.M. STALL. Horticultural Science Department, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0690. Replacement series experiments were conducted in Gainesville, Florida, to determine the competitive ability of four types of basil (purple, sweet, lemon, and Italian basils) with the weed yellow nutsedge. Basil transplants (10-cm tall) and viable nutsedge tubers (0.2 g) were grown in plastic containers filled with sandy soil, in replacement series of 4:0, 2:2 and 0:4 basil:nutsedge plants per container. Basil and nutsedge shoot height, and fresh and dry weights were determined at harvest (60 days after transplanting). Relative yield analysis was used to determine competitive ability. Sweet and Italian basils were more competitive than yellow nutsedge, whereas purple and lemon basils were as competitive as yellow nutsedge. Purple and lemon basils were shorter and had less leaf area than Italian and sweet basils, which may help explain their difference in competitiveness with yellow nutsedge.