Taxonomic diversity of rainy season weeds in different agricultural ecosystems in the Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India

A detailed study of rainy season weeds was done in agricultural land in the Moradabad district (28°-21' to 28°-16' Latitude North and 78°-4' to 79° Longitude East) from May 2021 to June 2022. The study looked at five main crops: three cereals, one sugar-producing crop, and one oil-producing crop. During the research period, 144 weed species (97 broad leaf weeds, 41 grassy weeds, and 6 sedge weeds) were recorded from 32 angiosperm phylogenetic group families. Sugarcane fields had the most weed species collected (136), followed by maize fields (83), Mentha (68), pearl millet (63), and rice fields (58). A floristic and systematic examination of weeds finds that the top seven weed families, with Poaceae (40 species), are the most dominant. 22 weed species were common in all the aforementioned five crops, and they generally belong to the different plant families. Poaceae (10 species), the worry weed species families were also organised in this part based on the APG-IV classification system and the concern grade system. Commelinids account for the biggest percentage (33%), followed by Fabids (15%), Lamiids (14%), Superasterids (14%), Campanulids (12%), Malvids (10%), Eudicots (1%), and Asterids (1%). In the floristic study of different crops, maximum weeds flowering is reported in the month of August by different (33) weed species and minimum flowering in the month of January by (1) weed species, whereas maximum fruiting is reported in the month of December by (28) weeds and minimum in the months of May (1sp.) and July (1sp.).