Influence of Different Herbicides on the Growth, Growth Attributes and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Central Plains Zone of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The field experiment was carried out at Agriculture Research Farm, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India during Kharif, 2021. The experiment was aimed at studying the effect of herbicides on the growth and yield of maize crop. The experiment was laid down in the Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 12 treatments and was replicated three times. The highest plant height was observed in weed free treatment due to weed free environment all over the maize growth period but among the herbicides, treatment(T8) Atrazine @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 PE followed by Tembotrione @ 0.120 kg a.i. ha-1 PoE at 20 DAS showed highest plant height of 115.2 cm, 173.63 cm and 226.29 cm at 40 DAS, 60 DAS and at harvest stage, respectively. The same treatment (T8) also resulted in the highest number of leaves per plant. The highest cob weight per plant, grain weight per cob, number of seed per cob and test weight of 219.23 g, 144.1 g, 579.23 and 27.43 g, respectively was observed in the same treatment (T­8). The highest grain yield (5199 kg ha-1) was observed in the weed free treatment but among the herbicidal treatment, the treatment T8 obtained the highest grain yield of 4803 kg ha-1 and was at par with the treatment (T7) Atrazine @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 fb 2,4-D sodium salt @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 PoE at 30 DAS bearing grain yield of 4723 kg ha-1. Among the herbicidal treatments, the treatment (T8) also resulted in the highest biological yield (12042 kg ha-1) and Harvest index (39.89%) which was at par with the treatment Atrazine @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 PE followed by 2,4-D sodium salt @ 0.8 kg a.i. ha-1 PoE at 30 DAS (T7).