Efficacy of Atrazine and other Herbicides for Weed Control in Maize1

In field experiments conducted in maize (Zea mays L.) at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (India) during 1980 and 1981, application of atrazine (0.33 kg/ha) as 20 cm wide bands over the crop row five days after sowing followed by directed spray of paraquat 0.25 kg/ha (21 days after sowing) gave the same level of weed control and grain yield as blanket application of atrazine 1.0 kg/ha and the treat-ment with two hand weedings (hoeing). Early postemergence band application of atrazine (10 and 15 days after sowing) resulted in a significant reduction in grain yield compared to its blanket preemergence application. Atrazine 0.625 kg/ha preemergence gave 15.2 and 10.8% lower grain yield than atrazine 1.0 kg/ha and its postemergence band application at 0.33 kg/ha. The preemergence application of terbutryn 1.0 kg/ha and pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha showed unsatisfactory control of weeds.