The Rubiaceae family comprises over 13,000 species across all ecosystems worldwide. They are already traditional and important weeds in production systems in the Brazilian Midwest. In Southern Brazil, several Rubiaceae species are significant weeds, causing significant productivity losses.
Common Weed Species in Brazil:
White-eye (Richardia brasiliensis): A weed plant with the ability to persist, rapid growth, and high competitiveness, with lanceolate leaves and white flowers. It is common in cultivated areas, pastures, and vacant lots.
Buttonweed (Borreria Latifolia and Mitracarpus hirtus): An annual weed plant, low-growing and branched, with small leaves and yellow flowers. It is common in cultivated areas, especially in soybean and maize crops.
Borreria Latifolia (Borreria latifolia): An annual weed plant with prostrate growth and small leaves. It is common in cultivated areas, pastures, and vacant lots.
Traditionally in Southern Brazil, we find White-eye as the main weed of this family. However, worryingly, we observed the incidence of Mitracarpus hirtus in this crop season, both in pre-seeding desiccation and post-emergence of soybean crops.
The main characteristic of the Rubiaceae family is tolerance to herbicides, especially intermediate doses of glyphosate. The main control strategy is the mixture of broadleaf herbicides in desiccation and the use of more than one herbicide for post-emergence control in small plants.
Additional Resources:
Virtual Herbarium of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul: https://reflora.jbrj.gov.br/reflora
Embrapa Clima Temperado: https://www.embrapa.br/clima-temperado
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply: https://www.gov.br/agricultura/pt-br
Keywords: weed plants, Rubiaceae, Southern Brazil, white-eye, buttonweed, Borreria latifolia, control, prevention, identification, management.
