Efficacy of Pre and Post Emergence Herbicides Alone and in Combination for Effective Weeds Control without Effecting Growth and Development of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract A field experiment was conducted on such a land which was previously used for fruit plant nursery rising at Agriculture, Research Institute Mingora Swat, Pakistan. The field was comprised on plentiful weeds due to no-tillage or other essential practices for weeds control from 5 to 7 years. The location was then assorted for Maize and soybean crop. The field was ploughed thrice during bunchy weeds presence. All weeds were removed mechanically and prepared seed bed for maize and soybean. After a shower in moon soon season weeds were emerged rapidly and covered the entire field. Therefore present study was designed to evaluate herbicidal efficacy in combination or alone in comparison with hand weeding and weedy check in maize crop during summer 2016. The chemical were sprayed before and after emergence. Various pre and post-emergence herbicide “Click 72.4 SE” pre-emergence (acetyclour + atrazine), “Sun 75% WDG” post emergence (Nicosulfuron), “Sun 75% WDG + Atrazin 38% SC” post emergence (Nicosulfuron) + (atrazine) and “Click 72.4 SE + Sun 75% WDG” pre and post emergence (acetyclour + atrazine) + (Nicosulfuron) were tested. The experiment was included on seven treatments regarding weeds control: W1 = Weedy check, W2 = acetyclour + atrazine, W3 = atrazine, W4 = Nicosulfuron, W5 = Nicosulfuron + atrazine, W6 = acetyclour + atrazine, + Nicosulfuron and W7 = manual hoeing. Main weeds were Cyperus rotundus, Tribulus terrestris, Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Cyndon dactylon. The results showed that the most effective treatment in controlling weed, reducing the dry matter of weed and reducing weeds biomass was manual hoeing followed by “Click 72.4 SE + Sun 75% WDG” pre and post-emergence (acetyclour + atrazine) + (Nicosulfuron) which effectively controlled weeds as compared to weedy check plot. The study concludes that manual hoeing and “Click 72.4 SE + Sun 75% WDG” pre and post-emergence (acetyclour + atrazine) + (Nicosulfuron) can be more effective as compare to all other treatments without effecting maize grain yield.