Efficacy of herbicides in controlling Parthenium hysterophorus L. in spring maize (Zea mays L.)
Main Article Content
Keywords
chemical control, doses, Parthenium, grain yield, weed density
Abstract
Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a noxious annual weed rapidly spreading in cropped areas of the irrigated Punjab and other parts of Pakistan. It has become a major threat to grazing lands and crops in Punjab province. The main objective of this study was to explore the efficacy of different herbicides with various concentrations viz. pendimethalin, S-metolachlor + atrazine, bromoxynil + 2-methyl-4-chloorphenoxyacetic acid, and atrazine at their recommended (407, 711, 445 and 469 g a.i./ha, respectively), 50% lower and 50% higher doses against Parthenium hysterophorus L. Weeds were allowed to grow in a field for three years (2010-2013) where this spring maize experiment was conducted during the years 2013 and 2014. All herbicide treatments at their recommended and higher doses significantly reduced Parthenium dry weight. Minimum density (2.3 and 2.0/m) and dry biomass (39.74 and 43.47 g/m) of parthenium weed was observed with S-metolachlor + atrazine at 711.36 g/ha treatment during 2013 and 2014, respectively. A herbicide efficiency index of 88% was observed with S-metolachlor + atrazine at 711.36 g a.i./ ha in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Among the herbicides, atrazine, bromoxynil and metolachlor gave significantly the lowest dry weight of Parthenium. Maximum 1000-grain weight (259 and 260.67 g), grain yield (4.86 and 4.87 t/ha), stalk yield (5.60 and 5.42 t/ha) and biological yield (14.80 and 13.80 t/ha) were recorded during both years of experiments when S-metolachlor + atrazine at 711.36 g/ha was applied. These results suggested that over- and underdose of S-metolachlor + atrazine significantly lower the maize growth and yield attributes by allowing more Parthenium density at a lower dose, while causing a toxic effect on the maize plants at a higher dose of herbicides. So, the application of S-metolachlor + atrazine (post-emergence) at the recommended rate minimised the weed-crop competition at all the critical crop growth stages, and ultimately yielded the better crop harvest during both years of study.
References
Evans, H.C., 1997. Parthenium hysterophorus: a review of its weed status and the possibilities for biological control. Biocontrol News and Information 18: 89-98.
Fickett, N.D., Chris, M.B. and Stoltenberg, D.E., 2013. Predicted corn yield loss due to weed competition prior to post-emergence herbicide application on Wisconsin farms. Weed Technology 27: 54-62.
Geier, P.W., Stahlman, P.W., Regehr, D.L. and O.L., 2009. Pre-emergence herbicide efficacy and phyto-toxicity in grain sorghum. Weed Technology 23: 197-201.
Government of Pakistan, 2014. Economic survey of Pakistan. Finance division, economic advisory wing, Islamabad, Pakistan, 29 pp.
Gnanavel, I., 2013. Parthenium hysterophorus L.: a major threat to natural and agro eco-systems in India. Science International 1: 124-131.
Gupta, O.P., 2004. Modern weed management (2nd Ed.). Agrobios, Jodhpur, India.
Heap, I., 2007. The international survey of herbicide resistant weeds [online] 02 April 2007. Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC), North American Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (NAHRAC), and Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), Corvallis, OR, USA.
Hoverstad, I.R., Gunsolus, J.L., Johson, G.A. and King, R.P., 2004. Risk efficiency criteria for evaluating economics of herbicides based weed management system in corn. Weed Technology 18: 687-697.
Javaid, A., 2007. Efficacy of some chemical herbicides against Parthenium hysterophorus L. Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research 13: 93-98.
Johnson, W.G., Chahal, G.S. and Regehr, D.L., 2012. Efficacy of various corn herbicides applied pre-plant incorporated and pre-emergence. Weed Technology 26: 220-229.
Juhl, O., 2004. Maister the most broad spectrum herbicide for maize in Denmark. Denske Plantekongres Plantebeskyttelse, Murkbrug 99: 7-14.
Kahramanoglu, I. and Uygur, F.N., 2010. The effects of reduced doses and application timing of metribuzin on redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.). Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 34: 467-474.
Khan, H., Marwat, K.B., Khan, M.A. and Hashim, S., 2014. Herbicidal control of parthenium weed in maize. Pakistan Journal of Botany 46: 497-504.
Khan, M. and Haq, N., 2004. Weed control in maize (Zea mays L.) with pre and post emergence herbicides. Pakistan Journal of Weed Science Research 10: 39-46.
Khan, M.S., 1998. Pakistan crop protection market. PAPA Bulletin 9: 7-9.
Loux, M.M., Dobbels, A.F., Johnson, W.G. and Young, B.G., 2011. Effect of residual herbicide and post-emergence application timing on weed control and yield in glyphosate-resistant corn. Weed Technology 25: 19-24.
Mahadi, M.A., 2014. Growth, nutrient uptake and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by weed control and poultry manure. International Journal of Science and Nature 5: 94-102.
Nadeem, M.A., Awais, M., Ayub, M., Tahir, M. and Maqbool, M.M., 2010. Integrated weed management studies for autumn planted maize. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Science 8: 98-101.
Oerke, E.C., 2005. Crop losses to pests. Journal of Agricultural Science 144: 31-43.
Rao, V.S., 2000. Principles of weed science (2nd Ed). Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India.
Recker, R.A., Paul, D.M., David, E.S., Joseph, G.L. and Vince, M.D., 2015. Late-season weed escape survey reveals discontinued atrazine use associated with greater abundance of broadleaf weeds. Weed Technology 29: 451-463.
Reddy, K.N., Bryson, C.T. and Burke, I.C., 2007. Ragweed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus) control with pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides. Weed Technology 21: 982-986.
Reid, A., Gonzalez, V., Sikkema, P.H., Lee, E.A., Lukens, L. and Swanton, C.J., 2014. Delaying weed control lengthens the anthesis-silking interval in maize. Weed Science 62: 326-337.
Steckel, G.J., Wax, L.M., Simmons, F.W. and Phillips, W.H., 1997. Glufosinate efficacy on annual weeds is influenced by rate and growth stage. Weed Technology 11: 484-488.
Safdar, M. E., Tanveer, A., Khaliq, A. and Riaz, M. A., 2015. Yield losses in maize (Zea mays) infested with parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.). Crop Protection 70: 77- 82.
Steel, R.D., Torrie, J.H. and Dicky, D.A., 1997. Principles and procedures of statistics. a biometrical approach (3rd Ed.). McGraw Hill Book international Co., Singapore, Singapore.
Tamado, T., Ohlander, L. and Milberg, P., 2002. Interference by the weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. with grain sorghum: influence of weed density and duration of competition. International Journal of Pest Management 48: 183-188.
Vandini, G., Campagna, G. and Rapparini, G., 2005. Timing of post-emergence herbicides application in maize. Intormatore-Agrario 61: 93-96.
Zhang, J., Weaver, S.E. and Hamill, A.S., 2000. Risks and reliability of using herbicides at below-labeled rates. Weed Technology 14: 106-115.
Article Sidebar
Article Details
