Venice Mallow Competition in Soybeans

Competition studies were conducted with soybeans Glycine max. (L.) Merr. ‘Clark 63’ and Venice mallow (Hibiscus trionum L.). One Venice mallow per 7.5 cm of soybean row reduced soybean seed yield 632 kg/ha after 85 days competition. Thirty to 40-cm weed bands in and between soybean rows reduced yields 270 to 651 kg/ha with 35 to 40 days of competition. A natural stand of 215 Venice mallow plants per square meter reduced soybean yield 454 kg/ha after 30 days of competition, and competition up to 110 days reduced yield as much as 1490 kg/ha. Weed competition affected the number of pods per soybean plant more than any other seed-yield component, and soybean height was reduced. Soybean yields were reduced more when soil moisture was abundant early in the growing season and limited in late summer than when moisture was limited early in the growing season and above average until soybeans matured.