Herbicide treatments were evaluated for weed control in a simultaneous farming system with sorghum – groundnut mixture. Sorghum (cv. SL – 1499) and groundnut (cv. EX – Dakar) were used in the two years respectively. Eight herbicide treatments compared with a hoe–weeded control and un–weeded check were laid out in a randomized complete design. Low rates of herbicide treatment followed by supplementary hoe–weeding (SHW) reduced weed infestation better than the higher herbicide rates without hoe–weeding, but compared well to the twice hoe–weeded control. Propachlor plus terbutryne at 3.5 + 1.5 kg a.i/ha, followed by SHW, was most promising in terms of selectivity in the component crops, with season long weed control. The findings of the study demonstrate that farmers can use mixtures of propachlor and linuron with terbutryne at 3.5 + 1.5 kg a.i/ha and 0.85 + 1.5 kg a.i/ha, respectively, to reduce labour input. In using any of these herbicides it is suggested that supplementary hoe–weeding be used at the appropriate time in order to have season–long weed control which is important for obtaining an optimum crop yield.

Key words

Farming system, weed control, herbicides, and sorghum – groundnut intercrop

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