ECO-FLORISTIC STUDY OF WEED FLORA OF MAIZE CROP IN DISTRICT SWABI,KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

The present study explains floristic composition and ecological attributes characteristics of weeds of maize crop in district Swabi during September-October, 2018. A total of 28 weeds species distributed in 27 genera and 15 families were reported from the selected maize fields of the study area. Out of 15 families, 12 were dicots having (17 genera and 18 species) and 3 were monocots having (10 genera and 10 species). Poaceae was dominant family contributed 8 species. Amaranthaceae (5 spp.) followed by Aizoaceae and Convolvulaceae (2 spp.) each. The rest of 11 families were represented by single species each. Annuals contributed 19 (67.8%) species while perennials shared 9 (32.2%) species. Life-form spectra indicated that therophytes were dominant and abundant life form with 17 (60.7%) species. Leaf size spectra revealed that microphylls were major leaf size class with 12 (42.8 %) species. There were 25 (89.3%) species with simple leaves, 2 (7.1 %) species with compound leaves while 1 (3.6 %) species was represented by dissected leaves.