Effect of Mesotrione 40% SC on Weed Growth, Yield and Economics of Maize (Zea mays L.)
Gaini Sairam
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
A. K. Jha
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
Badal Verma *
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
Muskan Porwal
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
Abhijeet Dubey
Department of Physics and Agrometeorology, College of Agricultural Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
R. K. Meshram
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, (MP)-482004, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Newer herbicides are required to reduce the losses cause by the weeds in maize crop. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted during kharif 2019 at Research Farm, AICRP on Forage Crops, Department of Agronomy, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) to study the effect of different weed management practices on productivity of Maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with eight treatments (six herbicidal treatments with hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS and weedy check) replicated thrice. Observations were recorded for various weed parameters and crop growth parameters. All the weed management treatments significantly reduced the total weed density and total dry weight of weeds as compared to weedy check. Among herbicidal treatments, mesotrione 350 g ha-1 recorded the lowest total weed density and total dry weight of weeds as compared to other herbicides. While highest total weed density and total dry weight were recorded under weedy check treatment. Significantly higher growth parameters and yield attributing traits were recorded with the application of mesotrione 350 g ha-1 which resulted in higher grain and stover yields (2447.22 and 21804.72 kg ha-1) followed by mesotrione 300 g ha-1. Maximum net returns and Benefit: Cost ratio was also obtained with the application of mesotrione 350 g ha-1.
Keywords: Grain yield, harvest index, herbicides, leaf area index, mesotrione, weed control