Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141 004 (Punjab), India.
Survey of weed flora of maize fields conducted in phases thrice from 1980 to 1983, 1984 to 1990 and 1991–1996 revealed the presence of 75 weed species in maize crop fields in Punjab. The predominant weeds associated with the crop were Eleusine aegyptiacum (L.) Desf, Eragrostis tenella (L.) Beauv., Leptochloa panicea (Retz) Ohwi., Trianthema portulacastrum L., Digera arvensis Forsk. and Cyperus rotundus L. Besides these, Panicum colonum (L.) Link, Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koel, Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., Commelina benghalensis (L.), Celosia argentea (L.), Cleome viscosa (L.), Euphorbia hirta (L.), Amaranthus viridis (L.) and Cyperus compressus (L.) were also serious weeds at some locations. Some new weeks like Brachiaria reptans (L.) Gardn. & Hubb., Malvastrum corornandelianum (L.) Garcke, Polygonum glabrum (L.), Cyperus squarossus (L.), Amaranthus punjans (L.), Majus pumilus (Burm. F.) Steenis, Ageratum conyzoides (L.) and Lindemia parvitlora (Roxb.) Haines are finding entry in maize fields in some pockets.
