ABSTRACT

A study on diversity of broadleaf weeds was carried out in smallholder rubber farm owned by

Mr Murphy Jusib at Kg. Qoup, Kuching, Sarawak. Felda Sahabat 06 plantatation have a size

about 13.3 hectarse with a clay type of soil. Field survey have been applied with systematic

method sampling by using quadrate (1.0x1.0)m size of square quadrat inside 20m x 20m plot.

Grass that present in each quadrat were directly identified in the field and all data were

interpreted through the calculation of relative density, frequency and importance value index of

weeds. The result that obtained then supported with the simpsons and shannon diversity index

of weeds. A total of six grass species from 9 different families have been identified in this study.

On the basis of relative dennstiy and frequency, the 3 most are Ischaemum muticum with 28%,

Brachiaria mutica with 20%, and Chloris barbata with 18%. The dominance of these thress

species are represented by the IVI, which is the Ischaemum muticum 47.1 % , Brachiaria mutica

33.3% and Chloris barbata 35 %. The diversity in this farm also high where the overall

iportance vaue index for the weeds is 200. The diversity range value for IV are from 0 to 300

as the higher the value the diverse the weeds population in that area. The result of this study

could help the plantation management to make decisio of suitable weedicide to be applied in

their plantation before purchasing and applying the weedicide.

In palm oil plantation, weeds can be classified as a major problem because they compete

with the main crop for nutrients, water, space and sunlight. It also is disturbing the

process of fertilizing, harvesting and loose fruit collection. This research was done to

determine the diversity of broad leaves weeds species in UiTM Kota Samarahan oil

palm field. Systematic sampling method was used in the research using 1.5m x 1.5m

square quadrate inside the 25m x 25m plot. Data were then analyzed using

ShannonWeiner‟s diversity index and Simpson‟s diversity index to determine the diversity of

the weeds in this study area. Seven species of broad leave weeds were identified in

the researched; Asystasia gangetica, Ageratum conyzoides, Borreria latifolia, Wedelia

bitflora, Eupatorium odoratum, Clidemia hirta, and Melastoma malabatrichum. In

UiTM Sarawak oil palm field, the diversity of the weeds was high (H‟ = 1.92) where the

most dominant species was Wedelia bitflora (n = 25; 1-D = 0.973).