Influence of Pre and Post-emergence Herbicides on Weed Population and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) Crop

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during 2017-18 at Dryland Agriculture Research Station, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir to evaluate the impact of post and pre emergence herbicides application on weed growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was laid in a randomized block design with four replications using maize variety Bio-605. The experimental details are as: Atrazine 50% WP @ 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence and paraquat dichloride 24 % SL @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1, 2,4-D Sodium salt 58% WSC @ 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as post-emergence herbicides (application at 2-3 leaf stage of weeds), hand weeding as standard check and weedy check as control. The weeds mainly encountered during the cropping season were Echinochloa spp., Eleusine indica, Digitaria sanguinalis, Amaranthus viridis, Sorghum halepense and Cyperus spp. Among all the herbicidal treatments, the highest weed control efficiency was recorded with the application of atrazine 50% WP @ 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence with values ranging from 75.52% to 83.10% except for Cyperus spp. with only 2.84% efficiency. Also there was no compromise on maize yield with the application of atrazine as compared to paraquat dichloride and 2,4-D. This is an indication of the reliability and the potential of the atrazine 50% WP @ 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence herbicide in the efficient control of weeds in maize crop.