COMBINED EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZERS AND HERBICIDES UPON MAIZE PRODUCTION IN PESHAWAR - N. Khan; N. W. Khan; S. A. Khan; M. A. Khan; K. B. Marwat (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2012)
Maize is an excellent source of energy in human diet and animal rations. To find out the cumulative effect of nitrogen (N) and herbicidal weed control upon the various growth parameters of maize, an experiment was conducted in summer season of 2006 at the Malakandher Research Farm, Agricultural, University Peshawar. The experiment was performed using randomized complete block design having split plot arrangements. All the treatments were replicated four times. The treatments consisting 3 N fertilizer (Urea) rates (i.e. 80, 120 and 160 kg ha-1) and 3 herbicides (Atrazine @ 1.00 kg a.i ha-1 , Stomp @ 0.75 kg a.i ha-1 and 2,4-D @ 0.80 kg a.i ha-1) and a weedy check was kept along each treatment for comparison. The main-plots having the N rates while the sub-plots having the herbicides. The N fertilizer was applied in two split doses (i.e. the first dose at the first irrigation after seed germination and the second dose a week before the silking). The pre-emergent herbicides (Stomp and Atrazine) were applied during sowing and the post emergent herbicide (2,4-D) was applied after 25 days of sowing. Fresh weed biomass was lower (34.0 g m-2) in the atrazine treated plots than in the weedy check plots (54.2g m-2). The maximum days to 50% tasseling (61.6) taken by the plants fertilized with 160 kg ha-1 N and plants which received 80 and 120 kg ha-1 N had spent statistically similar days to 50% tasseling. The effect of herbicides and their interaction with N rates was non-significant. The maximum 500 kernel weight (92.8 and 90.2 g) was achieved in the plots which received 160 and 120 kg ha-1 N, respectively. The heaviest 500 kernel weight (91.5 g) was noted in Atrazine treated plots and lightest 500 kernel weight (85.8 g) was found in weedy check plots. The largest biological yield (3.1 t ha-1) was recorded for 160 kg ha-1 . The maximum biological yield (3.2 t ha-1) was found for Atrazine while the lowest (2.4 t ha-1) for weedy check. The overall effect of 160 kg ha-1 N application rate and Atrazine was found to be highly desirable for weed control and for promoting yield and yield components of maize.
Keywords: journal article; Nitrogen rates; herbicides; weed control; maize and yield components; fodder