WEED CONTROL STRATEGIES AND VARIETAL RESPONSE EFFECTS ON SOYBEAN GROWTH, YIELD, AND WEED SUPPRESSION IN THE SUDAN SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/Keywords:
Crop-weed competition,, Herbicide integration,, Hoe weeding,, Weed management,, Soybean,, Sudan savannaAbstract
A field experiment was conducted during the 2022 rainy season at Bayero University Kano (BUK) and Bunkure to evaluate the effects of weed control methods and soybean varieties on growth, yield, and weed suppression efficiency in the Sudan Savannah. Treatments consisted of three soybean varieties (TGX 1448-2E, TGX 1835-10E, and TGX 1951-3F) combined with six weed control practices: hoe weeding (HW) at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), Pendimethalin (1.0 kg a.i. ha⁻¹), Imazethapyr (100 g a.i. ha⁻¹), Pendimethalin + Supplementary how weeding (SHW) at 6 WAS, Pendimethalin + Imazethapyr, and a weedy check, replicated thrice in a Randomized complete block design. Results showed that weed control significantly (p < 0.001) improved plant height, leaf area index, pod number, and yield compared with the weedy check. HW at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) recorded the highest pod yield (2,904 kg ha-1 at BUK; 4,715 kg ha-1 at Bunkure) and the greatest weed control efficiency (70.6% & 84.0%) at BUK and Bunkure, while the weedy check consistently had the lowest yields (1,403 and 1,323 kg ha-1) and zero efficiency. Similarly, Pendimethalin at 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1) + Imazethapyr (100 g a.i. ha-1) achieved competitive yields (2,675 kg ha-1 at BUK; 4,587 kg ha-1 at Bunkure) and high weed control efficiency (65.8% and 79.7%). Among varieties, TGX 1951-3F was most productive, yielding 2,456 kg ha-1 at BUK and 2,899 kg ha-1 at Bunkure, due to superior competitiveness and reduced weed dry matter. The significant (p < 0.001) interaction between weed control methods and varieties showed that HW at 3 and 6 WAS combined with TGX 1951-3F produced maximum yields (3,283 kg ha-1 at BUK; 4,715 kg ha-1 at Bunkure). These findings suggest that integrating effective weed management with high-yielding varieties like TGX 1951-3F offers a sustainable pathway to improve soybean productivity and food security in the Sudan Savannah.
References
Abubakar, A., Lado, A., Bello, T. T., & Shittu, E. A. (2025). Influence of sowing method on weed suppression and yield response of soybean varieties in Sudan Savannah Agro Ecological Zone of Nigeria. FUDMA Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, 11(1), 73-85.
Apon, M. and Nongmaithem, D. (2022). Weed dynamics and yield of soybean as influenced by integrated nutrient and weed management practices. Journal of Crop and Weed, 18(2), 71-76. https://doi.org/10.22271/09746315.2022.v18.i2.1575
Avidime, J.O., and Manasseh, E.A. (2022). Combined effects of weed control and npk fertilizer on yield components of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabicus L.). Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 18 (1), 47-59.
Choudhary, R., Verma, A., Sumeria, H. K., Tomar, M., & Kannoj (2025). Effect of weed management on growth, yield and economics of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) in typic haplustept soils. Scientific reports, 15(1), 27080. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025- 96273-3
Costa, E.M, Jakelaitis, A. & Zuchi, J. (2020). Simulated Drift of Dicamba and 2, 4-D on Soybeans: Effects of Application Dose and Time. Bioscience Journal, 36(3), 857–64. http://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v36n3a2020-47742.
Daramola, O. S., Adeyemi, O. R., Adigun, J. A., & Adejuyigbe, C. O. (2019). Weed interference and control in soybean, as affected by row spacing, in the transition zone of South West Nigeria. Journal of Crop Improvement, 34(1), 103-121.
Degola, L. & Jonkus, D. (2018). The influence of dietary inclusion of peas, faba bean and lupin as a replacement for soybean meal on pig performance and carcass traits. Agronomy Research, 16(2), 389-397. http://dx.doi.org/10.15159/ar.18.072.
Dong, Q., Zhang, K. & Sun, X. (2020). Mapping QTL underlying plant height at three development stages and its response to density in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill., Biotechnological Equipment, 34(1), 395–404.doi: 10.1080/13102818.2020.1758594.
Ezebuiro, P. U., Yakubu, A. I., & Audu, M. (2021). Evaluation of three pre-emergence herbicides for weed control in soya bean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in Dutsinma and Sokoto, Sudan Savanna. FUDMA Journal of Sciences, 5(4), 368-374. https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs- 2021-0504-772
Ezin, V., Bachabi, F., Dubogan, F. C. M., Ahanchede, W., Sanni, G. B. T. A., Moussa, M. S., & Ahanchede, A. (2025). Characterization of Genetic and Agromorphological Variation in 30 Soybean (Glycine max) Accessions in Northern and Southern Benin. Scientifica, 2025, 3449081. https://doi.org/10.1155/sci5/3449081
Havlin, J. L., Tisdale, S. L., Nelson, W. L., & Beaton, J. D. (2016). Soil fertility and fertilizers: An introduction to nutrient management (8th ed.). Pearson.
Jadhav, A. S., & Kashid, N. V. (2019). Manual weeding versus chemical weed control: Implications for labor and yield. International Journal of Agriculture Sciences, 11(7), 8422-8425.
Jatto, A.U. & Yakub, A.I. (2022). Effect of weed control methods on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa VAR. FARO 52). Journal of Agriculture and Environment, 18 (2), 49-56.
Kipshakbayeva, G., Zargar, M., Rysbekova, А., Ashirbekova, I., Tleulina, Z., Amantayev, B., Kipshakbayeva, A., Baitelenova, A., Stybayev, G., & Nejad, M. S. (2024). Assessment of the genetic parameters of soybean genotypes for precocity and productivity in the various cultivation conditions. Heliyon, 10(16), e36135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36135
Lal, R. (2020). Sustainable soil management and climate change. CRC Press.
Merga, B., & Alemu, D. (2019). The role of weeds in reducing crop yield and their management. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 5(1), 170.
Otieno, H.M.O. (2023). A Mini-review of Herbicide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current State, Potential Risks to Farmers, and Available Mitigation Strategies. Innovations in Agriculture, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.25081/ia.2023-01
Otto, D., Munz, S., Malik, W.A., & Graeff-Hönninger, S. (2024). Effect of row distance on plant architecture, weed suppression and yield of silage maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril.) in a pesticide-free cultivation system in Southern Germany. Crop Protection,185, 106866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2024.106866.
Pokhrel, A., Raj Dangi, S., & Sharma, B. (2025). Response of Soybean and Weeds to Various Weed Management Practices. Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research, 25(7), 19-25. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaar/2025/v25i7643
Sadiq, A.A., Abubakar, I.U., Kamara, A.Y., Hussain, Y., Tofa, A.I. and Ahmed, A. (2020). Response of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] varieties to inoculation and sowing date in guinea savanna, Nigeria. Nigerian Agricultural Journal, 51(2), 513-520.
Shittu, E.A. (2025). Performance of Bambara Nuts (Vigna subterranean L. Verdc) as Influenced by Genotypes and Weed Control Treatments in the Sudan Savanna Ecology, Nigeria. Journal of Tropical Crop Science,12(1), 195-205. https://doi.org/10.29244/jtcs.12.01.195-205
Shittu, E. A. & Lamarana, L. B. (2024). Analysis of effectiveness and profitability of selected weed control methods for cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] production in the Sudan savanna ecology of Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Economics, Environment and Social Science, 10 (2),1-12.
Shittu, E.A., Bassey, M.S & Babayola, M. (2023). Physiological Growth Indices and Yield Attributes of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Varieties as Affected by Weed Control Methods and Season in Northern Guinea Savanna Ecology, Nigeria. International Academy Journal of Agribusiness and Agricultural Science Annals, 6 (2), 29-48.
Shittu, E. A., Fagam, A. S., Garba, A. A., Sabo, M. U. & Bello, T. T. (2022). Influence of Supplementary Hoe Weeding on the Efficacy of Pre-emergence Herbicide on Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) Weed Management in Bauchi, Nigeria. International Journal of Pure and Applied Science Research, 12(5): 152-177. ISSN: 2384-5918.
Shittu, E.A., Bello, T.T., & Atta, A.D. (2025). Weed dynamics and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea l.) as influenced by variety and plant population. FNAS Journal of Basic and Environmental Research, 2(3), 86-94.
Shittu, E.A., Bello, T.T., & Bassey, M.S. (2025). Impact of weed management strategies on soil chemical properties, fertility dynamics, and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) productivity in a semi-arid environment. FNAS Journal of Applied Chemical Science Research, 2(3), 45-54.https://doi.org/10.63561/jacsr.v2i3.804
Walia, S., Banerjee, T., & Kumar, R. (2021). Efficacy of Weed Management Techniques on Weed Control, Biomass Yield, and Soil Herbicide Residue in Transplanted Wild Marigold (Tagetes minuta L.) under High Rainfall Conditions of Western Himalaya. Agronomy, 11(11), 2119. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112119
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 FUDMA Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
