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Corresponding author: E-mail: naser.omar@uob.edu.ly SJFSSU 2022
Scientific Journal for the Faculty of Science-Sirte University Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22
Identification of the Most Important Weed Species in A Barley Crops in Beir
Bullerjam Region – Soloq, Libya
Naser O. I. Omar, Adrees A. A. Alhursh², Shuayb M. O. Alajeeli² and Abdulhamid K. Alzerbi³
¹Botany Department, Arts and Sciences Faculty, Benghazi University, Alabear- Branch, Libya.
²Field Crops Department, Agriculture Faculty, Benghazi University, Soloq- Branch, Libya.
³Botany Department, Arts and Sciences Faculty, Benghazi University, Tocra Branch, Libya.
© SJFSSU 2022.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37375/sjfssu.v2i1.206
A B S T R A C T
ARTICLE INFO:
Received: 10 January 2022.
Accepted: 24 February 2022.
Published: 1 April 2022.
A field survey was carried out to highlight the most important and problematic
weeds of barley crop at District Beir Bullerjam, Soloq Region, Libya for two
seasons (2020 to 2021). The current study is based on field research where recorded
most weed the grown species by survey followed by using quadrats and finally
calculating the weed density and their frequency. samples from the fields of the
barley crop using a quadrat of size 1 m × 1 m randomly thrown at different points
in the fields. The plants were identified with the help of available literature and
through comparison with the already identified plant species. Data inventory has
been documented in the form of family, Botanical name, vernacular name and life
cycle. A total of 67 weed species belonging to 54 genera and 21 families of
angiosperms. The dominant families according to the number of species were
Asteraceae (14 species), Fabaceae (11 species), Poaceae (9 species), and
Brassicaceae (7 species). The most dominant life cycle was annuals having 57
followed by perennials having nine species and biennials represented by only
two species.The results further revealed that the highest density (43.48 mˉ²) and
(30.36 mˉ²) were recorded for Lolium rigidum and Melilotus indicus respectively,
while the highest frequency were recorded for Melilotus indicus and Eruca sativa
with 84% and 80 respectively.
Keywords: Weed Species, Barley,
Beir Bullerjam, Soloq, Libya.
1 Introduction
Hordeum vulgare L. As one of the earliest domestic
crops, barley has been one of the most important staple
crops in the old world Neolithic agriculture upon which
early agriculture was built (Harlan and Zohary, 1966).
Weeds are unwanted plants that provide a hard time to
any particular crop in which it occurs. Its variety and
distribution differ from crop to crop and generally have
no aesthetic or economic value. Such vegetation is found
abundant in cultivated fields of great financial and
biological significance (Jabeen and Ahmed, 2009). In no
other parts of the world does uncontrolled weed growth
cause as a great a reduction in crop yields as it does in
dry areas where soil moisture is the limiting factor and
weeds compete significantly with the crop for available
moisture (Robson,1992).
Weed infestation is one of the major hindrances to crop
yield including pests, diseases, and climatic influences.
Weeds and crops usually have the same requirements, but
weeds make their living at the expense of the crop by
competition for space, nutrients, moisture, light, and
carbon dioxide (Abdul Ghafoor and Shad, 1995;
Klingman et al., 1975; Muzik, 1970). There are around
30,000 species of weeds in the world, of which 50 to 200
Scientific Journal for the Faculty of Science-Sirte University
Journal home page: http://journal.su.edu.ly/index.php/JSFSU/index
DOI: 10.37375/issn.2789-858X
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
16
Open Access Article is distributed under a CC BY 4.0 Licence.
usually cause considerable damage to the major food
crops (Mahmood, 1992).
Weed problems in Libya have become very important not
only in the coastal belt with its higher rainfall, but also in
the newly established irrigation projects in the desert
where it was very difficult to find a single weed in the
past (Robson, 1992). In Libya however, the recognition
of weed science as a discipline with the same position as
other crop protection disciplines, such as entomology and
plant pathology, has been neglected (Kukula and
Ghanuni, 1992). There is a good number of studies on
weeds of the crops that have been reported from different
parts of the country i.e., Sirte (Alaib and Ihsaeen, 2008),
Melytania (Al-Zerbi, 2004), Jardina- Soloq Region
(Omar et al. 2020), Masiklo (Abu Khsheem, 2020).
The present study aims to identify different weed species
and the most dominant weed species in the barley crop
by calculating the density and frequency.
2 Materials and Methods
The study area is located about 50 Km South of Benghazi
city adjacent to Soloq city at approximately 32º 08′ N
latitude and 20º 32′ E longitudes. The area rises about 70
m above the sea level (figure 1). The total area is
approximately 600 hectares. The study lasted two years
and took place throughout the spring season (2020 to
2021). Field expeditions were more frequently done from
January to April when the plants were in flowering and
fruiting conditions. The crop-weed association was
studied by quadrate of 1 meter diameter. Twenty five
quadrates were randomly placed in the fields and the
number of plants of each weed species falling in the
quadrate were carefully counted and listed for density
and frequency.
For drying, the presser containing the specimens was
placed in the drying room. After that the specimens were
examined individually, rearranged, transferred to fresh
sheet and again tightly bonded in the presser. The
specimens were changed to dry sheet every 24 or 48
hours, until they were completely dry. The data were
recorded on the following parameters:
The genus and species was identified by the utilization of
available taxonomic literature (Erteb, 1994; Ali and Jafri,
1976-1977; El-Gadi, 1988-1989; Keith, 1965; Jafri and
El-Gadi, 1977-1986 and Tackholm, 1974).
Figure 1: The study area and location (source: Bing Maps and
Google Earth).
3 Results and Discussion
Weed flora of the study area is comprised of 67 species
of flowering weed plants representing 54 genera and 21
families were record. A detailed list of weed species
identified in barley crop in the study area along with their
scientific names, families, vernacular names, and life
form are shown in Table 1below.
Table (1): weed species, their vernacular names and life cycle of barley crop recorded in the study area.
Species
Vernacular name
Family
Life
cycle
Allium nigrum L.
Thom Bary
Amaryllidaceae
Ann.
Allium erdelii Zucc.
Ghazool
Amaryllidaceae
Ann.
Amaranthus viridis L.
Buzinzir
Amaranthaceae
Ann.
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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Ammi majus L.
Sfinnari-Hameer, Khalla, Sfinnari el
ma'iz
Apiaceae
Ann.
Deverra tortuosa (Desf.) DC.
Gazzah.
Apiaceae
Per.
Pseudorlaya pumila (L.) Gramde
Apiaceae
Ann.
Achillea santolina L.
Zefrah, El Batharan
Asteraceae
Ann.
Anthemis secundiramea Biv.
Asteraceae
Ann.
Calendula arvensis L.
Ain Al-Bugra
Asteraceae
Ann.
Carduus getulus Pomel
Asteraceae
Ann.
Centurea dimorpha Viv.
Bla ′ala
Asteraceae
Ann.
Chrysanthemum coronarium L.
Gahwan
Asteraceae
Ann.
Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cornq.
Ashbet Zamora
Asteraceae
Ann.
Echinops galalensis Schweinf
Shembet Elgatoos, Libid
Asteraceae
Per.
Launaea resedifolia (L.) O.Kuntze
Adeeda.
Asteraceae
Per.
Onopordum arenarium (Desf.) Pomel
Libid. Bairoff
Asteraceae
Bi.
Reichardia tingitana (L.) Roth.
Sahani.
Asteraceae
Ann.
Rhantterium suaveolens Desf.
Asteraceae
Per.
Senecio gallicus Chiax
Daraita , Mourare.
Asteraceae
Ann.
Sonchus oleraceus L.
Tefaf.
Asteraceae
Ann.
Brassica tournefortii Gouan
Al-Harra
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.
Kais Al Rai
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Didesmus aegyptius (L.) Desv.
Lesless
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Diplotaxis muralis (L.) Dc.
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Enarthrocarpus clavatus Del.ex Goder.
Shultam
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Eruca sativa Mill.
Gargeer Barry
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Sinapis arvensis L.
Al-Khardal Al-Barry
Brassicaceae
Ann.
Echium angustifolium Mill.
Henna alagrab, abat elgula
Boraginaceae
Per.
Bassia muricata (L.) Asch.
Chouleta, Ghabbir
Chenopodiaceae
Ann.
Beta vulgaris L.
Selg, Selk
Chenopodiaceae
Ann.
Chenopodium murale L.
Effena
Chenopodiaceae
Ann.
Convolvulus althaeoides L.
Ullak
Convolvulaceae
Per.
Convolvulus arvensis L.
Ullak
Convolvulaceae
Per.
Astragalus asterias Stev ex Ledeb
Fabaceae
Ann.
Astragalus boeticus L.
Grambushia
Fabaceae
Ann.
Astragalus peregrinus Vahl
Fabaceae
Ann.
Hippocrepis multisiliquosa L.
Fabaceae
Ann.
Lathyrus aphaca L.
Fabaceae
Ann.
Medicago disciformis Dc.
Nafal
Fabaceae
Ann.
Medicago sativa L.
Gadb, safsafa, Berseem.
Fabaceae
Ann.
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill.
Nafal
Fabaceae
Ann.
Melilotus indicus (L.) All
Handegog
Fabaceae
Ann.
Vicia sativa L.
Jilban.
Fabaceae
Ann.
Vicia villosa Roth
Jelbana –Hmam
Fabaceae
Ann.
Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’ Herit
Dahmiyet el-ghazl.
Geraniaceae
Ann.
Erodium malacoides (L.) L’ Herit
Geraniaceae
Ann.
Salvia lanigera Poir.
Sag en naga
Lamiaceae
Per.
Bellevalia mauritanica Pomel.
Liliaceae
Ann.
Malva parviflora L. var parviflora
Khobaiz
Malvaceae
Ann.
Malva sylvestris L.
Khobaiz, Hobbess
Malvaceae
Bi.
Orobanche schultzii Mutel.
Orobanchaceae
Ann.
Papaver hybridum L.
Bugraun, Garaun
Papaveraceae
Ann.
Papaver rhoeas L.
Bugraun
Papaveraceae
Ann.
Plantago crypsoides Boiss.
Aenm.
Plantaginaceae
Ann.
Avena fatua L.
Poaceae
Ann.
Avena sterilis L.
Poaceae
Ann.
Bromus rigidus Roth.
Poaceae
Ann.
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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Open Access Article is distributed under a CC BY 4.0 Licence.
Cutandia dichotoma (Forsk.) Trabut
Zewahn , bu ′rukba
Poaceae
Ann.
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.
Najem , Najieel
Poaceae
Ann.
Hordeum murinm L.
Poaceae
Ann.
Lolium rigidum Gaud.
Bomanjor.
Poaceae
Ann.
Phalaris minor Retz.
Zewan
Poaceae
Ann.
Stipa capensis Thunb.
Behma
Poaceae
Ann.
Emex spinosus (L). Campd
Dors el-azouz & El-Enzab
Polygonaceae
Ann.
Polygonum equisetiforme Sibth. and
Sm.
Gurdab
Polygonaceae
Per.
Anagallis arvensis var. caerulea (L.)
Gouan
Ain Algatuus
Primulaceae
Ann.
Adonis dendata Delile
Zeghalil
Ranunculaceae
Ann.
Solanum nigrum L.
Anab ed. Deeb
Solanaceae
Ann.
*Abbreviations: Annual = Ann., Biennial = Bi., Perennial.
Dicotyledons were represented by 18 families, 46 genera,
55 species whereas; Monocotyledons were represented
by three families, ten genera and 12 species (Table 2).
The ratio of Dicotyledons to Monocotyledons is 6: 1.
Table (2): Different taxonomic groups present in the study
area.
No.
Species
No. of
Genera
No. of
families
Plant group
55
46
18
Dicotyledons
12
10
3
Monocotyledons
67
56
21
Total
The dominant family contributing to weed flora was
Asteraceae with 14 species, followed by Fabaceae with
11 species and Poaceae with 9 species. The next largest
family was Brassicaceae with seven species, Apiaceae
and Chenopodiaceae included three species each. The
most previous studies on Libyan flora recorded that these
families included the largest number of species, such as,
(Ali and Jafri, 1976-1977; El-Gadi, 1988-1989; Alaib
and Ihsaeen, 2008; Omar et al. 2020; and Ihsaeen, 2005).
Five families namely, Amaryllidaceae, Convolvulaceae,
Geraniaceae, Malvaceae and Polygonaceae included two
species each. The remaining families were represented by
one weed species each.
According to the number of species in each genus in the
study area, Astragalus and Medicago were the only two
genera represented by three weed species each. Seven
genera, Allium, Avena, Malva, Erodium, Convolvulus,
Papaver and Vicia were represented by two species each
in the study area. The rest seventy four genera were
represented by only one species each.
The study showed the majority of weed species
57 species associated with the barley crops were annuals,
followed by perennials with nine species, whereas
biennials represented by only two species (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Life cycle of weed species in the study area
The survey data showed that total 15 weed species fell
into the quadrates studied. Species with a few densities
were neglected (less than 0.5 plants in all quadrates).
The results on weed density of a particular species are
shown in Table 3. The data showed that the surveyed
fields were mostly infested with Lolium rigidum,
Melilotus indicus, Hordeum murinm, Eruca sativa,
Anthemis secundiramea, Vicia villosa, Chrysanthemum
coronarium, Beta vulgaris, Medicago laciniata,
Phalaris minor, Bromus rigidus, Malva parviflora,
Avena fatua, Brassica tournefortii and Reichardia
tingitana. The study also showed that species of the
field were a mixture of both broadleaf and grasses alike.
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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Open Access Article is distributed under a CC BY 4.0 Licence.
Table (3): Weed density (mˉ²) and weed frequency (%) for the
individual weed species of barley crop in the study area.
Species
Density
(mˉ²)
Frequency
(%)
Lolium rigidum
43.48
64
Melilotus indicus
30.36
84
Hordeum murinm
14.24
44
Eruca sativa
11.4
80
Anthemis secundiramea
5.12
44
Vicia villosa
3.68
52
Chrysanthemum
coronarium
3.6
64
Beta vulgaris
2.36
32
Medicago laciniata
2.2
24
Phalaris minor
1.96
32
Bromus rigidus
1.92
12
Malva parviflora
1.92
44
Avena fatua
0.56
8
Brassica tournefortii
0.52
20
Reichardia tingitana
0.52
12
The weed density of dominated species (43.48 mˉ²) was
recorded for Lolium rigidum followed by Melilotus
indicus with 30.36 plants mˉ² and Hordeum murinm with
14.24 plants mˉ², whereas, the lowest weed density were
calculated for Brassica tournefortii and Reichardia
tingitana
with 0.52 plants mˉ² in the barley fields. In
earlier study by Ihsaeen (2005) also reported that Lolium
rigidum and Melilotus indicus were the highest density in
barley fields in agricultural project of Sirte.
The weed frequency of weeds is the best way of
indication for the prevalence of weed species in the
studied area. The results of weed frequency (%) of a
particular species are shown in Table 3. On the basis of
the data provided the highest frequency was computed
for Melilotus indicus with 84 % followed by Eruca sativa
with 80 %, whereas, the lowest frequency recorded for
Avena fatua with 8%. Most of the previous studies, such
as Omar et al. (2020), Ihsaeen (2005) and Al-Zerbi
(2004) stated that Eruca sativa, Melilotus indicus, Lolium
rigidum, and Bromus rigidus have the highest frequency
in different crops fields of Libya.
4 Conclusion
Among the different identified weeds Lolium rigidum
and Melilotus indicus were the most problematic weed of
the barley crop in Libya. This study contributed to the
existing litetature by providing some knowledge about
weed flora to design a solid integrated weed management
plan for the different crops in the target areas.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to people who helped us locate
fields, and especially the farmers who allowed us to
survey their fields. Thank also extended to Mr. Awad
Alhursh and Farhat Al-Oribi for their facilities.
Funding
This study has not received any external funding.
Conflicts of Interests: The authors declare that there are
no conflicts of interests
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Supplementary material
Eruca sativa (Brassicaceae)
Calendula arvensis (Asteraceae)
Avena sterilis (Poaceae)
Melilotus indicus (Fabaceae)
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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Open Access Article is distributed under a CC BY 4.0 Licence.
Medicago disciformis (Fabaceae)
Phalaris minor (Poaceae)
Senecio gallicus (Asteraceae)
Malva parviflora (Malvaceae)
Adonis dendata (Ranunculaceae)
Achillea santolina (Asteracear)
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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Convolvulus althaeoides (Convolvulaceae)
Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae)
SJFSSU Vol. 2, No. 1 April (2022) 15-22 Omar et. al.
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