Evaluation and Economics of Different Weed Management Practices in Rabi Maize (Zea mays L.)

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and economic feasibility as influenced by tillage system and weed management practices in rabi maize (Zea mays L.). Weed management had positive influence on growth, yield attributes and yield component of the crops. Significantly lower weed density was recorded in zero tillage (ZT) as compared to conventional tillage (CT). Manual weeding at 15 and 30 days after sowing (DAS), ZT-Glyphosate Pre Plant followed by Atrazine+ Halosulfuran (1.0 kg + 90 g a.i./ha) as POE, provedequally effective in increasing most of the growth parameters, yield attributes, yield and have economic advantage. The effect due to different weed management practices on grain yield of maize was found to be statistically significant. The maximum mean grain yield of (89.2 q/ha) was recorded from the plots where two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAS was performed andwas statistically at par with the mean grain yield obtained under different weed management practices i.e ZT-Glyphosate Pre Plant followed by Atrazine+ Halosulfuran (1.0 kg + 90 g a.i./ha) as POE (89.0 q/ha), CT-Acetochlor @ (3.0 lit a.i/ha) as Pre (85.7 q/ha), ZT-Glyphosate Pre plant and these grain yield obtained were significantly superior to the grain yield obtainedunder rest of the weed management practices. Yield advantage due to different weed management practices over weedy check were mainly attributed for better yield attributing parameters and cooperatively less weed population, weed biomass along with higher weed control efficiency.

The highest net return Rs, 55767/ha was noted in treatmentZT-Glyphosate Pre Plant followed by Atrazine+ Halosulfuran (1.0 kg + 90 g a.i./ha) as POE and maximum benefit: cost ratio of 1.98 was recorded under the treatment ZT-Glyphosate Pre plant followed by Maize+ Lathyrus as intercrop and lower value of net return Rs, 37980/ha with benefit: cost ratio of (1.35) were recorded under weedy check.