Nutrient utilization by winter maize (Zea mays) and weeds as influenced by integrated weed management
Abstract
An experiment was carried out during the winter seasons of 1998–98 and 1999–2000 at Pusa with 14 weed– management practices to study the nutrient-depletion patterns by winter maize (Zea mays L.) and associated weeds. Amongst the weed-management practices, nutrient depletion by weeds was minimum under hand-weed-ing and maximum (22.97 kg N, 4.87 kg P2O5 and 27.57 kg K2O/ha) in weedy condition, whereas total nutrient uptake by winter maize was maximum (169.41 kg N, 55.67 kg, P2O5 and 60.77 kg K2O/ha) under the treatment alachlor + French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as smother crop followed by hand-weeding (137.70 kg N, 44.15 kg P2O5 and 106.22 kg, K2O/ha). The nutrient uptake by crop in weedy condition was least. Chemical weeding checked nutrient drain by weeds significantly compared with weedy check.
Keywords
Nutrient depletion, Weed management, Winter maize, Smother crop
