Abstract
WEED FLORA OF TURMERIC (Curcuma longa L.) FIELDS OF PORUMAMILLA MANDAL, KADAPA A.P, INDIA

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), is a root crop of Zingiberaceae family propagated by rhizome is one of the most valuable spices all over the world and important medicinal plant. A weed is an unwanted plant growth in a place where some other plants are also growing or no other plant has to grown at all. The plants growing in a wrong place i.e. in agriculture fields are often referred to as weeds. Porumamilla is the biggest mandal in YSR district and very near to Badvel. Porumamilla is located at 15.0167°N 78.9833°E. It has an average elevation of 176 meters (580 feet). The cultivated fields of Porumamilla mandal is infested with a large number of weeds. A total of 165 plant species, belonging to 127 genera and 40 families were identified as turmeric crop weeds in Porumamilla mandal. Of these 168 weed species, 136 are dicots, 32 are monocots. These species are recorded exclusively from the turmeric field. The total weed families recorded in the present study are 42. Out of 42, 16 are monotypic.