Efficacy of Herbicides on Productivity and Profitability of Maize (Zea Mays L.) under South Gujarat Condition

Abstract

A field research was carried out during summer 2015 at the College Farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari on clayey soil having a pH 7.98 and poor in available nitrogen (230 kg/ha) medium in available phosphorus (38 kg/ha) and considerably rich in available potash (379 kg/ha). Ten treatments comprising of weed management practices were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Significantly higher grain yield and straw yield (kg/ha) were registered under weed free condition, which was statistically at par with atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha (6267 and 7921 kg/ha) as PE, alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha + atrazine @ 0.5 kg/ha (5918 and 7316 kg/ha) as PE, atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + 2.4 D 0.5 @ kg/ha (5820 and 7276 kg/ha) as PE, atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha (5680 and 6856 kg/ha) as PE and atrazine as PoE @ 1.5 kg/ha at 30 DAS (5619 and 6819 kg/ha), while weed control through sugarcane trash mulch @ 5 t ha and alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha PE were also at par in case of straw yield. Dry weight of weeds at harvest significantly minimum (60.96 g per m2) with highest WCE 82.97 %, and lowest weed index (3.36) were recorded under application of atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha PE, which was at par with T7 (68.53 g per m2, 80.75% and 9.28, respectively) and T9 (70.16 g per m2 80.25% and10.18, respectively). The significantly highest dry weight of weeds and lowest WI (360.86 g/m2 and 45.53 respectively) was recorded under weedy check. Whereas, the lowest weed control efficiency (55.05%) was recorded under interculturaring at 30 and 45 DAS fbhand weeding. Among the weed control treatments highest net returns (₹92669/ha) was recorded in weed free check followed by tank mixture application of atrazine 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha PE (₹88979/ha) with B: C ratio (3.95) followed by alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha + atrazine @ 0.5 kg/ha PE (₹83015/ha)A field research was carried out during summer 2015 at the College Farm, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari on clayey soil having a pH 7.98 and poor in available nitrogen (230 kg/ha) medium in available phosphorus (38 kg/ha) and considerably rich in available potash (379 kg/ha). Ten treatments comprising of weed management practices were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Significantly higher grain yield and straw yield (kg/ha) were registered under weed free condition, which was statistically at par with atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha (6267 and 7921 kg/ha) as PE, alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha + atrazine @ 0.5 kg/ha (5918 and 7316 kg/ha) as PE, atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + 2.4 D 0.5 @ kg/ha (5820 and 7276 kg/ha) as PE, atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha (5680 and 6856 kg/ha) as PE and atrazine as PoE @ 1.5 kg/ha at 30 DAS (5619 and 6819 kg/ha), while weed control through sugarcane trash mulch @ 5 t ha and alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha PE were also at par in case of straw yield. Dry weight of weeds at harvest significantly minimum (60.96 g per m2) with highest WCE 82.97 %, and lowest weed index (3.36) were recorded under application of atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha PE, which was at par with T7 (68.53 g per m2, 80.75% and 9.28, respectively) and T9 (70.16 g per m2 80.25% and10.18, respectively). The significantly highest dry weight of weeds and lowest WI (360.86 g/m2 and 45.53 respectively) was recorded under weedy check. Whereas, the lowest weed control efficiency (55.05%) was recorded under interculturaring at 30 and 45 DAS fbhand weeding. Among the weed control treatments highest net returns (₹92669/ha) was recorded in weed free check followed by tank mixture application of atrazine 0.75 kg/ha + pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha PE (₹88979/ha) with B: C ratio (3.95) followed by alachlor @ 1.5 kg/ha + atrazine @ 0.5 kg/ha PE (₹83015/ha)