Sociological characteristics of producers and traditional weed management methods practiced by sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) producers in northern Côte d'Ivoire

Weed management in sorghum cultivation has become a major problem for producers, who are generally poor. The overall objective of this study is to identify weed management methods and determine the weed flora in sorghum fields. Sixty sorghum producers were asked to complete a questionnaire on weed management techniques and weeds commonly found in sorghum fields during the growing cycle. The results showed that producers aged between 35 and 55 are more likely to grow sorghum. Family farming is the most common type of farming operation. Regarding weed management, more than 70% of producers combine manual weeding and herbicide application. In addition, they weed two to three times during the growing cycle. These weedings are carried out either immediately after sowing (100%), during growth (33.33%) and/or during flowering (66.67%) of the sorghum. In terms of recurring weeds, producers reported that 28 weeds are frequently observed in sorghum fields. These weeds mainly belong to the Poaceae family (15 species). Therophytes (42.86%) and grasses (75%) are the most abundant biological and morphological types, respectively, in the weed flora. Knowledge of recurring weeds and traditional weed management techniques could enable the implementation of an effective weed management method and optimization of sorghum crop yields.