Impact of herbicides on weeds and soil ecosystem of rainfed maize (Zea mays L.)

Pre-emergence application of atrazine 0.25 kg/ha either followed by one hand weeding (40 DAS) or post-emergence application of 2,4-D (0.5 kg/ha) as well as early post-emergence application of herbicides mixture atrazine 0.125 kg/ha + metolachlor 0.5 kg/ha with one late hand weeding (40 DAS) was found to keep the weed density and dry weight below the economic threshold in ralnfed maize. Considerable level of phytotoxicity and yield reduction was recorded with anilofos both at 0.4 kg/ha applied as single herbicide or at 0.2 kg/ha used in the herbicide mixture. Bioassay studies conducted to assess the effect of herbicides on soil microflora of maize crop show that soil microbial population (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) was not affected by the herbicides viz., atrazine, metsulfuron methyl, metolachlor and anilofos used for and their time of application tried for weed control in maize.