Weed Species Composition in Paddy Field of Usur Town,Bade Local Government,Yobe State,Nigeria

Farmers are eager to know the various types of weeds in paddy fields.This will help in choosing the best weed management practice for effective weed control as well as reducing rice yield losses.The objectives of the study are to identify the weeds species affecting the rice field,to assess the composition of weeds species,to classify the weed species into different families,genera,species,common names,Hausa names,lifecycles,life forms,native/exotic species,propagation and uses,and to determine the dominant weed species.Random vegetation surveys were conducted.Weeds observed were photographed,and prepared as herbarium specimens.Standard key manuals and checklists were utilized for weed identification and later organized using the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group(APG)classification system.A total number of 72 plants species distributed within 16 families and 50 genera were inventoried.The annuals(66.67%)were the dominant weed followed by perennials(33.33%)while biennials were the least.The broad leaves were the dominant weed(44.61%)identified followed by Poaceae(27.7%)and Sedges(11.11%).Results obtained from this study could be useful in choosing the best management practice and in making a decision on the choice of herbicides and directing research towards improved weed control measures.

Assessment of Herbaceous Species Diversity in Lede and Galumji, Wawa-Zange Forest Reserve, Gombe State, Nigeria

The study was carried out in Wawa-Zange Forest Reserve. The aim was to investigate the Herbaceous Species Composition and Diversity. Point Centered Quarter (PCQ) Sampling method was used to conduct the study. Data obtained was analyzed for Frequency, Relative Frequency, Density, Relative Density and Importance Value Index. The result obtained showed a total number of twenty. Herbaceous Plant Species. Out of this number 17 were Forbs and 3 were Grasses. They belonged to 9 families and 19 genera. The family Fabaceae (Subfamily Caesalpinoideae, Papilionoideae and Mimosoideae) had 5 species, and Malvaceae had 5 species while Poaceae had 3 species, Rubiaceae had 2 species. Euphorbiaceae, Linderniaceae, Acanthaceae, Commelinaceae and Arecaceae had 1 species each. Simpson’s index of diversity (1 - D) was (0.60) while Shannon-Wiener index was (2.21). The species with the highest importance value index was Urena lobata L. (65.47%) and the species with lowest importance value index were Palisota hirsuta, Cassia rotundifolia, Amorphophallus abyssinicus, and Corchorus olitorius with (2.93%). These plants therefore require urgent conservation measures.