Influence of Spacing and Seed Rate on Weed Suppression in Finger Millet (Eleucine carocana gaertn)

2 Abstract: Field experiments were carried out to study suitable spacing and seed rate that can suppress weeds and enhance the competitive ability of finger millet (Eleucine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) against weeds in 2007 and 2008 raining seasons at Samaru Zaria, Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of five inter -row spacing (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm) and five seed rates (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 kg/ ha). The treatments were factorially arranged and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The result shows that both spacing and seed rate had the ability of suppressing weeds. Higher seed rate and narrow spacing had strong and negative effects on weed biomass and positive effects on crop biomass and yield.