Different weed management strategies for enhancing the maize productivity and suppressing the weeds in the Tarai region of India

Abstract

Weed infestation is a major threat for the efficient production in kharif maize in the Tarai region of India. Hence, a field study was conducted with 3 replications in randomized block design with twelve different weed management treatments viz., atrazine 1.0 kg a.i./ha (PE) fb hand hoeing at 21 DAS; tembotrione 120g a.i./ha at 20 DAS; topramezone 25.2 g a.i./ha at 20 DAS; atrazine 1.0 kg a.i./ha (PE) fb tembotrione 120 g/ha at 20 DAS; atrazine 1.0 kg a.i./ha (PE) fb topramezone 25.2 g a.i./ha at 20 DAS; Tembotrione 120 g a.i./ha at 20 DAS fb halosulfuron methyl 67.5 g a.i./ha at 30 DAS; topramezone 25.2 g a.i./ha at 20 DAS fb halosulfuron methyl 67.5 g a.i./ha at 30 DAS; atrazine 1.0 kg a.i. /ha (PE) + wheat residue mulch 5t/ha; maize + mungbean (1:1) intercropping; Two hand Weeding at 20 and 40 DAS; Weed-free and Weedy check at Pantnagar during 2023 to find out the best weed management option for maize production. Hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS produced highest grain yield (6.4 t/ha) and reduced weed density by 81.1% and 67.8%, at 30 DAS and 60 DAS, respectively, compared to the weedy plot. It was followed by atrazine 50% WP at 1.0 kg a.i./ha fb hand hoeing at 21 DAS (6.14 t/ha grain yield), atrazine 50% WP at 1.0 kg a.i./ha fb tembotrione at 120 g a.i./ha (6.03 t/ha grain yield) and atrazine 50% WP at 1.0 kg a.i./ ha fb topramezone at 25.2 g a.i./ha (5.96 t/ha grain yield) proved effective weed free treatments.