Effect of fertility levels, nutrient sources and weed control on weed dynamics and yield of quality protein maize (Zea mays) and relative nitrogen and phosphorus uptake
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v60i2.4448Keywords:
Fertility levels, Herbicides, Nutrient uptake, Productivity, Quality protein maizeAbstract
A field experiment was laid out during the rainy seasons of 2008 and 2009 at Udaipur, Rajasthan, to evaluate effect of fertility levels, nutrient sources and weed control on productivity of quality protein maize (Zea mays L.). Twenty seven treatment combinations comprising 3 fertility levels (90 kg N + 40 kg P O , 120 kg N + 50 kg P O 2 5 2 5 and 150 kg N + 60 kg P O /ha), 3 nutrient sources (100% NP through fertilizers, 75% NP through fertilizers + 25% 2 5 through vermicompost and 50% NP through fertilizers + 50% through vermicompost) and 3 weed-control mea- sures (weedy check, metribuzin 0.4 kg/ha followed by (fb) hoeing and weeding and atrazine 0.4 kg + alachlor 2.0 kg/ha fb hoeing and weeding) were tested in split-plot block design with 3 replications. Weed density was not af- fected by fertility levels but the total weed dry matter increased significantly up to 120 kg N + 50 kg P O /ha at 30 2 5 days after sowing (DAS) and up to 150 N + 60 kg P O /ha at 60 DAS. Significantly higher cobs/plant (1.178), and 2 5 grains/row (37.8) were produced by raising fertility level up to 120 kg N + 50 kg P O /ha, whereas grain weight/ 2 5 cob (80.41 g) and 1,000-grain weight (219.58 g) were significantly increased by applying 150 kg N + 60 kg P O / 2 5 ha. Significantly higher grain yield (4.18 t/ha) and net returns ( 34.89 103/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.88) were obtained under 120 kg N + 50 kg P O /ha. Application of 100% NP through fertilizers resulted in significantly 2 5 higher weed dry matter at 30 and 60 days, yield attributes, grain yield (4.08 t/ha), net returns ( 36.19 103/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.19). Application of pre-emergence atrazine + alachlor followed by hoeing and weeding gave the minimum weed density and dry-matter at 30 and 60 DAS. It also resulted in significantly higher yield attributes, yield (4.48 t/ha) and net returns ( 23.34 103/ha).References
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