Integrated Weed Management Strategies for Enhancing Growth and Productivity of Irrigated Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Background: Globally, maize (Zea mays L.) ranks third after rice and wheat and plays a crucial role in food security, livestock nutrition, and industrial development. Despite its high yield potential, maize productivity is severely constrained by weeds, particularly under irrigated conditions. Aim: The study was conducted to evaluate effective weed management practices for improving the productivity of irrigated maize. Study Design: Randomised Block Design (RBD). Place and Duration of Study: A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2025–26 at the Instructional Farm of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore. Methodology: The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with eleven treatments. The treatments included sole maize with pre-emergence (PE) application of atrazine 50% WP @ 0.5 kg ha⁻¹ followed by manual weeding (T₁); post-emergence (PoE) application of 2,4-D 38% EC @ 1 kg ha⁻¹ (T₂), Tembotrione 34.4% SC @ 0.12 kg ha⁻¹ (T₃), and topramezone 33.6% SC @ 0.025 kg ha⁻¹ (T₄) applied at 30 DAS; maize + dhaincha with manual incorporation (T₅); incorporation combined with PoE application of 2,4-D (T₆), Tembotrione (T₇), or topramezone (T₈) at 30 DAS; sole maize with manual weeding at 15 and 30 DAS (T₉); a weed-free check (T₁₀); and an unweeded control (T₁₁). The treatments were replicated three times. Results: The weed-free check recorded significantly higher growth parameters such as plant height, dry matter production, and leaf area index, along with superior yield attributes including number of cobs per plant, number of grain rows per cob, number of grains per row, grain yield, and haulm yield. This was followed by the combined application of maize + dhaincha incorporation with PoE Tembotrione 34.4% SC @ 0.12 kg ha⁻¹. Conclusion: Effective weed management significantly improved the growth and yield of irrigated maize, with the weed-free check recording the highest growth and yield parameters. It is recommended that brown manuring with suitable post-emergence herbicides can be integrated as a sustainable and efficient weed management strategy in irrigated maize.