Efficacy of Herbicides on Nutrient Uptake of Crop, Weed and Its Impact on Soil Microflora of Irrigated Maize (Zea mays L.)

Aim: Field experiment was conducted to study the suitable weed management methods to check the nutrient depletion by weeds, check the dynamics of microbial population and in relation to improve the biomass stover yield of maize (Zea mays L.).

Study Design: This experiment laid out in a randomized block design and 8 different weed management treatments with three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: Field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu in kharif 2019.

Methodology: TNAU maize hybrid CO-6 was used for this experiment. Treatments were application of pre-emergence herbicide atrazine at 0.25 kg/ha or pendimethalin 1 kg/ha applied singly on 3 days after sowing and in combination with post-emergence herbicide tembotrione 120 g/ha or halosulfuron methyl 90 g/ha on 25 DAS, weed free check, unweeded check in maize crop. Weed nutrient depletion and microbial population was analysed in laboratory.

Results: The application of pre-emergence atrazine 0.25 kg/ha followed by post-emergence tembotrione 120 g/ha effective in controlling of grasses and BLW and enhance the nutrient uptake of maize. The stover maize yield increased with application of herbicides and sequential application of herbicides achieved 88% improved stover yield over unweeded check. Sequential application of herbicides initially reduce the population of soil microflora but the population gradually build up in all the herbicide applied plots at 60 days after application.

Conclusion: Based on the results of the experiment, it was concluded that pre-emergence atrazine 0.25 kg/ha followed by post emergence tembotrione 120 g/ha effective in controlling of weeds and enhance the nutrient uptake and stover yield of maize without much adverse impact on soil microbial population.