Author(s): U. GIRI AND P. BANDYOPADHYAY

Abstract: To study the most critical physiologically water need stage of hybrid maize, effect of scheduling of irrigation at different physiological growth stages and different methods of weed control measures on growth, yield and WUE of hybrid maize under new alluvial zone of West Bengal, a field experiment was conducted at the Viswavidyalaya farm during pre-kharif season in 2007. The experiment was conducted in a sandy loam soil with 20 treatment combinations (4 irrigation levels in main plot and 5 weed control methods in sub-plot) in a split plot design replicated thrice. The study revealed that irrigation did not significantly influence the growth attributes, number (m -2 area) and dry weight (g m -2 area) of grassy, sedge and broadleaved weeds but significantly influenced the grain yield(t ha-1). Irrigation applied at knee height stage and tasselling stage recorded an increase in grain yield to the tune of 76.1% and 36.72% over control, respectively. Weed control methods significantly influenced all the characters in most of the cases. The highest growth attributes and grain yield were recorded under pre-emergence application of metribuzin @ 600 g ha-1 and minimum number(m -2 area) and dry weight(g m -2 area) of grassy, sedge and broadleaved weeds were recorded under pre-emergence application of Metribuzin @ 600 g ha-1 (W1).. The lowest CU ( 210.9 mm), depletion of soil moisture (%) and highest WUE (18.87 kg ha-1 mm-1) were recorded under irrigation applied at knee height stage and these were just reverse incase of irrigation applied at silking stage..

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