Abstract

Understanding the spatial variation in soil properties and the distribution of weeds is essential for implementing sustainable weed management practices. This study aimed to investigate the spatial distribution of Fimbristylis miliacea, exploring the influence of soil properties on both their spatial distribution and density. Weed counts were conducted on a regular 20 × 20 m grid, comprising 60 observation points covering a study area of 2.49 hectares. The physico-chemical soil properties, including pH, temperature, moisture, organic total carbon, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium (Ex-K), exchangeable magnesium (Ex-Mg), exchangeable calcium (Ex-Ca) and exchangeable sodium (Ex-Na), were determined. The density of F. miliaceae exhibited a positive correlation with Ex-Na (r = 0.263) and Ex-Ca (r = 0.295). Geostatistical analysis revealed that the Gaussian model was best fitted to F. miliaceae, while the exponential model was suitable for both Ex-Ca and Ex-Na. The spatial distribution of these soil nutrients can be utilized to generate maps for targeted F. miliaceae management. These maps are crucial for making well-informed decisions regarding the site-specific management of F. miliaceae in Harumanis mango cultivation