Maize (Zea mays L.) is a versatile cereal crop farmed in a variety of environments and geographical areas for human nourishment, livestock feed and fodder, and industrial raw materials. Weeds are the major problem which causes 30-40 percent of the applied nutrients lost and 40-45% decreased crop yield. Chemical application leads to create herbicide resistant weed biotype. Integrated weed management is best option to manage weeds properly. Keeping in view, experiment was layout in RBD with 12 treatments and replicated thrice. Among all the treatments, the lowest weed density and its dry matter (DM) and highest weed control efficiency (WCE) was found in T2 (weed free upto harvest), followed by T3 (two hoeing at 15 and 30 DAS) which was statistically at par with T12 (CCRIJAF nail weeder at 6 and 20 DAE) and T11 (Residue mulch and hand pulling of weeds at 25 DAS). Among chemical methods, layby application of atrazine after 20 to 25 DAS (T4) recorded lower WD, weed DM and higher WCE which was statistically similar with T5 (layby application of pendimethalin), T9 (atrazine + tembotrione), T8 (atrazine + halosulfuron) but statistically differed with Single dose applications of post-emergence herbicides like topramezone, tembotrione and halosulfuron.

WCE, weed density, dry matter, tembotrione, halosulfuron, hand pulling, crop residue.

Effect of different weed management methods significantly differed with respect to weed dynamics in spring maize. Weed free up to maturity of the crop showed superior control with recording the lowest weed population, and WD and higher WCE when compared to other weed management methods. Keeping the plot weed free by two hoeing at 15 and 30 DAS has recorded better weed control and was statistically similar with other mechanical methods like CRIJAF weeder at 6 and 20 DAE of crop and maize + rice crop residue mulch. Among chemical methods, lay by application atrazine was better than layby application of pendimethalin and atrazine (PE) + tembotrione (POE) but statistically similar with each other. Single dose of POE herbicides showed less control over weeds. Whereas, the highest WD and its DM and lowest WCE was found in weedy check.

Vishvajeet D. Jadhav, Santosh Korav, Sujatha H.T. and Chandra Mohan Mehta (2022). Effect of Integrated Weed Management on Weed Dynamics in Spring Maize. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(2): 1434-1438.