Abstract:
The ever-increasing global population has put more burdens on agricultural productivity, hence, endangering the security of our food supply. Weeds are the major problem of crops and are being controlled by the usage of herbicides to meet the food need of the increasing population. The use of a hybrid mixture is a conservation measure to reduce the use of herbicides and suppress weed pressure. Hence, a field trial was conducted to reduce herbicide usage and create an eco-friendly environment. The study was conducted at Agronomic Student Farm, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, for the evaluation of the maize hybrid mixture, efficacy in reducing herbicide doses, and accomplishing weed suppression. There were three replications of the study, and the treatments were arranged in a split-plot arrangement under a randomized complete block design. The main plot factor in the present study was the hybrid mixture, while incremental herbicide dose (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of label dose) of mesotrione+ atrazine+ acetochlor was applied to subplots. Maize hybrids: YS5427 and DK-6714 (short- and tall-statured, respectively) were sprayed 15 days after sowing with respective herbicide doses. At the full recommended herbicide dosage, the reduction in weed biomass was 81% for the short-statured hybrid, whereas it was 82% and 86% for the tall-statured and mixed varieties, respectively. The grain yield of the mixture at full herbicide rate application was 11630 kg ha-1, while short- and tall-statured showed grain yield of 11220 and 11350 kg ha-1. However, the mixture was able to achieve a comparable yield at 75% and 100% of the recommended dose. We can achieve both environmental and economic goals in weed control and crop production by selecting hybrid crops that are strong competitors with high yields and are less dependent on herbicides.
Page(s):
67-67
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on Second International Conference on Recent Approaches in Plant Sciences (RAPS-23) 4-5 May 2023 , Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023