Integrated Weed Management Studies on Weed Flora and Yield in Kharif Maize

A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2011–12 at Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, (Bihar) to evaluate the effectiveness and economically integrated weed management method in maize (Zea mays L.). Weed management had a positive influence on growth, yield attributes and yield of the maize. Manual weeding at 15 and 30 days after sowing (DAS) with in Zero tillage (ZT) -Glyphosate Pre Plant followed by Atrazine+ Halosulfuran (1.0 kg + 90 g a.i./ha) as Post emergence, Conventional tillage (CT) -Atrazine + Halosulfuran @ (1.5kg+90 g a.i/ha) as Post emergence and Zero tillage (ZT) -Glyphosate Pre plant followed by Topramezone+Atrazine @(40 ml + 500 g a.i/ha) as Post emergence proved equally effective in increasing most of the growth parameters, yield attributes, yield and economic advantage. The effect due to different weed management practices on grain yield of maize was found to be statistically significant. The maximum mean grain yield of (68.2 q/ha) was recorded from the plots where two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAS was performed and was statistically at par with the mean grain yield obtained under different weed management practices i.e. ZT -Glyphosate Pre Plant followed by Atrazine+ Halosulfuran (1.0 kg + 90 g a.i./ha) as POE (67.1 q/ha), CT-Atrazine + Halosulfuran @ (1.5kg+90 g a.i/ha) as POE (64.1 q/ha), ZT-Glyphosate Pre plant followed by Topramezone + Atrazine @(40 ml + 500 g a.i/ha) as POE (63.6 q/ha), and the grain yield obtained these were significantly superior to the grain yield obtained under rest of the weed management practices. Yield advantages due to different weed management practices over weedy check were mainly attributed due to enhance yield attributing parameters as a result of lower weed population, biomass along with higher weed control efficiency. The highest net return Rs, 34856/ha and maximum benefit: cost ratio of 1.2 was noted in treatment ZT-Glyphosate Pre plant followed by Topramezone+Atra zine @(40 ml + 500 g a.i/ha) POE and lower value of net return Rs, 22980/ha and benefit: cost ratio of (0.82) were recorded under weedy check.