Comparison of Straw Mulching and Herbicide Levels for Control of Various Weed Species in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Weed management in maize is one of biggest concerns for growers. To reduce dependence on chemicals and chances of herbicide resistant weeds, and to improve soil status, thus straw mulching was added as cultural component with chemicals for improving weed management in maize. Field experiments were conducted at two locations (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, and Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur) during kharif season to find out the influence of different paddy straw mulch and herbicides for control of various weeds species in maize. The results showed that application of paddy straw mulch 6.25 t/ha effectively controlled Eleusine indica, Cynodon dactylon, Commelina benghalensis, Eragrostis tenella, Digitaria sanguinalis, Echinochloa colona, Trianthema portulacastrum, Portulaca oleracea, Phyllanthus niruri, Euphorbia hirta, Conyza stricta and Cyperus compressus over no mulching. In addition to above weed species, paddy straw mulch 9.0 t/ha also effectively reduced density of Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Acrachne racemosa, Digera arvensis, Mollugo nudicaulis, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Amaranthus viridis and Veronica agrestis and Cyperus rotundus as compared to 6.25 t/ha and no mulch treatment. Atrazine pre emergence at 1.0 kg/ha controlled Eleusine indica, Echinochloa crusgalli, Eragrostis tenella, Digitaria sanguinalis, Echinochloa colona, Trianthema portulacastrum, Mollugo nudicaulis, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Digera arvensis, Amaranthus viridis and Cyperus compressus compared to its lower dose (0.8 kg/ha) and control at all stages. Post emergence application of tembotrione reduced the density of all weed species compared to atrazine and unweeded control.