Abstract:
The study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of hand weeding against chemical weed control in maize under four levels of NPK i. e. 0-0-0, 50-25-0, 100-50-0- and 150-100-0 Kg/ha under rainfed conditions during 1983 and 1984. Pre-emergence applied herbicide used in the study was, atrazine + metolachlor (Primextra) at 2.0 kg ai. ha. Hand weeding and herbicide application both were effective in controlling weeds. Atrazine + metolachlor was found significantly better than hand weeding during both the years. However, hand weeding produced grain yields 2604.17 kg in 1983 and 2652.09 kg/ha in 1984 significantly higher than chemical weed control which was 2220.17 kg in 1983 and 2364.59 kg/ha in 1984. Fertilizer application rates, 150-100-0 and 100-50-0 produced grain yields of 2734.45 kg and 2665.56 kg (1983) and 2713.90 kg and 2597.23 kg/ha (1984) respectively, statistically at par with each other but different from all other fertilizer treatments. Hand weeding with 100 kg N and 50 kg P2 05/ha produced yield of 3416.68 (1983) and 3250.01 kg/ha (1984) which were higher than the yields obtained by the chemical weed control even with 150 kg N and 100 kg P205/ha. Weeding increased grain yields of maize from 64.29 to 116.25 percent over weedy check under different fertilizer rates during both the years. Chemical weed control was more economical with a cost benefit ratio of 3.37 (1983) and 3.74 (1984) than hand weeding with a CBR of 2.69 (1983) and 2.73 (1984). Chemical weed control with 100 kg N and 50 kg P2O5 seems to be more economical with CBR of 3.49 and 3.46 during 1983 and 1984 respectively as compared to hand weeding with CBR of 3.12 (1983) and 2.88 (1984) under rainfed condition. It is concluded that fertilizer application will only contribute to increase grain yield when weeds are controlled.
Page(s):
110-117
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research, Volume: 1, Issue: 2, Year: 1988