Impacts of tillage and herbicide mixture on weed interference, agronomic productivity and profitability of a maize – Wheat system in the North-western Indo-Gangetic Plains

Maize (Zea mays L), being a C4 plant, is one of the most vibrant food grain crops under diverse edaphological conditions. In India, maize-wheat is by and large a predominant cropping system that is followed on a large scale, particularly in central and northern part of the country. The low productivity of maize in India, as compared to major maize growing countries of the world, can be attributed to several limiting factors, of which poor weed management poses a major threat to crop productivity. The most important weeds that can be associated with maize/maize-based cropping systems in the country are Echinochloa colonum, Brachiaria ramosa, Digitaria sanguinalis, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Eleusine indica, Setaria glauca, Sorghum halepense, Panicum spp. Cynodon dactylon, Digitaria setigera, Digitaria ciliaris, and Leptochloa chinensis among grasses; Ageratum conyzoides, Galinsoga parvif]ora, CommeIina benghalensis, Undernia cilata, Polygonum hydropiper, Euphorbia geniculata, Oxalis latifolia, Celosia argentea, Cleome viscose, Sida acuta, Aschynomene indica, Acanthospermum hispidum, Portulaca oleracea, Phyllanthus niruri, Amaranthus viridis, Acalypha indica, Tridax procumbens, Ipomoea pestigridis, Parthenium hysterophorus and Euphorbia hirta among non-grassy weeds and Cyperus rotundus and Cyperus iria among sedges. In the rainy season, it was reported thet the emergence of maize and weeds was simultaneous and the first 20–60 days was the most critical period of competition for the crop. However, in winter maize the period beyond 30 days and up to 45 days after sowing was detrimental to maize growth. In India, presence of weeds reduce the maize yields by 27–60%, depending upon the growth and persistence of weed population. The agronomic manipulations, viz. tillage and inter-cultivation, intercropping, mulching, cover crops, crop rotation, higher seed rate or plant populations, planting at closer spacing, nutrient management, planting methods, and other agro-techniques are used for weed management in maize/maize-based cropping systems. However, herbicides play a key role providing an option of economical weed management.

Weed management in maize-based cropping system

A field experiment entitled “Weed and nutrient management in maize (Zea mays L) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L) intercropping and residual effects on sesame (Sesamum indicum L)” was conducted during kharif 2015 and 2016 at Agronomy Main Research Farm, Central Research Station, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, OUATBhubaneswar. The field experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications by taking 16 treatment combinations of four nutrient management in main plot [F1=Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) @ 120, 60, 60 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O ( for maize ) +10, 20, 10 kg/ha N, P2O5 and K2O (for cowpea), F2= RDF+FYM 5 t/ha, F3= RDF + 0.2 Lime requirement (LR), F4= RDF+FYM 5t/ha + Lime 0.2 LR] and four weed management in sub-plot [W1= Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha, W2= Oxyfluorfen @ 0.03 kg/ha, W3= Farmer practices (at 20 DAS), W4= Weedy check]. Hybrid maize (PAC 751), Cowpea (Kashikanchan) and Sesame (Prachi) were taken as test crops. The soil of the experimental plot was loamy sand in texture, low in available nitrogen (204 kg/ha), high in available phosphorus (45 kg/ha) and medium in available potassium (184 kg/ha), with organic carbon (0.34%), pH (4.71) and EC (0.46 dsm -1 ). During rabi season sesame crop was grown to know the residual effects of weed and nutrient management practices. Severe infestation of weeds reduced maize equivalent yield of maize + cowpea intercropping system by 31.4%, 13.1%, 26.5% and 7.2% in RDF, RDF + FYM 5 t/ha, RDF + 0.2LR and RDF + FYM 5t/ha + Lime 0.2 LR, respectively. But in weedy plot, the yield reduction due to weeds in the system was 59.2%. In total 16 different species of weeds infested in the Maize + cowpea intercropping plot. Weed dry matter (97.7 g/m 2 ) was the lowest in RDF + FYM 5t/ha + Lime 0.2 with the highest maize equivalent yield of 7.72 t/ha and finally highest nutrient uptake. Among weed management practices, pre-emergence application of oxyfluorfen @ 0.03 kg/ha significantly reduced the total weed density (43.7), weed dry weight (44.7) and recorded the highest weed control efficiency (75.8%). Growth, yield attributing character and yield as well as uptake of NPK by maize and cowpea followed similar trend. But plant height was higher in pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha. In residual study, combined application of RDF + FYM + lime along with pre-emergence spray of oxyfluorfen @ 0.03 kg/ha recorded the maximum maize equivalent yield of sesame (2.39 t/ha). The highest microbial population was observed under combined application of RDF + FYM + lime which was reduced at 15 days after application (DAA) in the treatments receiving herbicides with maximum in oxyfluorfen, but gradually increased after wards. RDF + FYM + lime supplemented with oxyfluorfen @ 0.03 kg/ha maintained season long weed control and produced the maximum system yield 12.05 t/ha with net return of Rs 96927 and B: C ratio of 2.59.

Weed and nutrient management in maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) intercropping and residual effects on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the world’s widely grown highland cereal and primary staple food crop in many developing countries. It is a productive food plant and has highest potential for carbohydrate per unit area per day (Aldrich et al., 1975). Maize ranks third in the cereals world production after rice and wheat, but in productivity it surpasses all cereals. In India, it is grown over an area of 9.43 m ha with total production of 24.35 m tones (Anon, 2015). Among the biotic production constraints, weeds are considered as an important category. Worldwide yield losses in maize due to weeds are estimated to be around 37% (Oerke and Dehne, 2004). In India, maize, being a rainy season and widely spaced crop, gets infested with variety of weeds and subjected to heavy weed competition, which often inflicts huge losses ranging from 28 to 100 per cent (Patel et al., 2006). Worldwide weed management is primarily focused on curative control, as herbicides are highly effective and relatively cheap (Mortensen et al., 2000; Mohammadi, 2012). Currently, herbicides used to control weeds in maize include pre-emergence application of atrazine, pendimethalin, alachlor and post-emergent application of 2,4D sodium salt. But at the same time, the loss of biodiversity due to environmental International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 7 (2017) pp. 701-710 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

/pdf/impact-of-sustainable-weed-management-practices-on-growth-4kt55e9ptq.pdf

Impact of Sustainable Weed Management Practices on Growth, Phenology and Yield of Rabi Grain Maize (Zea mays L.)

The efficient nutrient management is essential to achieve crop yield sustainability. Integration of all possible sources of nutrients can only fulfill the requirement of crops and wherein yield sustainability can be ascertained. Organic manures can play in important role in this direction. But these manures are bulky in nature and low in nutrient content, hence the substitution is highly required. Green manure, another possible option of providing nutrients to crops from organic sources, but it has got some limitations as it is practiced in mainly rice crop that requires a period of about 45-60 days from seeding to decomposition with proper temperature and optimum moisture conditions after incorporation. The viable option left behind that is brown manuring as a tool for integrated nutrient management. Brown manuring is capable of supplying all nutrients to the crops which is also considered beneficial for weed management as well as improving soil properties.

Brown manuring, An effective technique for yield sustainability and weed management of cereal crops: A review

Maize (Zea mays L.) considered as the queen of the cereals, is one of the most important crops next to rice and wheat in global agriculture. Though maize is under cultivation in India, production and productivity are comparatively less over temperate countries. It was due to many factors. However, the factor which causes drastic reduction in growth, development and yield of the maize is weed which accounts for 40% yield loss and even >70% yield loss under uncontrolled weed growth condition in maize. Weeds are controlled by many means. However, in the current scenario of agriculture, evolving ecofreindly approach of weed control is more advisable so as to protect the natural resources such as soil flora and fuana including human being and animals in a holistic manner.

Effect of brown manuring on weed growth, yield and economics of irrigated maize

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Effect of brown manuring on weed growth, yield and economics of irrigated maize