Weed Dynamics and Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) as Influenced by Tembotrione Herbicide

A field experiment was conducted in the Agronomy Research Farm of the School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS), Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus, India during the Kharif season, 2023 and 2024 to study the weed dynamics and growth and yield of maize as influenced by tembotrione herbicide.

The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications consisting of 10 treatments. The treatments include viz., T₁ Weedy check, T₂: Hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, T₃: Tembotrione 100 g ha^-1 at 15 DAS, T₄: Tembotrione 125 g ha^-1 at 15 DAS, T₅: Tembotrione 150 g ha^-1 at 15 DAS, T₆: Tembotrione 100 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS, T₇: Tembotrione 125 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS, T₈: Tembotrione 150 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS,T₉: Atrazine 750 g ha^-1 at 2 DAS and T₁₀: 2,4-D Na 800 g ha^-1 at 20 DAS. Surfactant Tween 20 (polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monolaurate or polysorbate 20) was used at the rate of 5 ml/litre of water.

The results revealed that hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS resulted in lowest population and biomass of grasses, sedges and broad leaf weeds and among the herbicides application Tembotrione 150 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS resulted in the lowest values which also resulted in highest weed control efficiency and lowest weed index. The plant height, dry matter accumulation and other yield attributing parameters also showed highest value in application of Tembotrione 150 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS under herbicides treatments resulting in higher yield. The gross and net return was observed highest in hand weeding treatments. However, with respect to profit, application of Tembotrione 150 g ha^-1 at 30 DAS resulted in highest benefit cost ratio which indicates beneficial use of this herbicide at 30 DAS.