Volume 3 Issue 2

Influence of tillage and weed control methods on growth, productivity and quality of maize (Zea mays L.)

Author(s): PANKAJ CHOPRA AND N. N. ANGIRAS
Abstract: To find the effect of tillage and weed control methods on growth, productivity and quality of maize a field experiment was conducted at the Vishvavidyalaya farm during kharif 2002 and 2003. The experiment was conducted in a silty clay loam soil with 12 treatment combinations (3 tillage methods in main plot and 4 weed control methods in sub plot) in a split plot design replicated thrice. The study revealed that raised seed bed being statistically at par with conventional tillage resulted in significant increase in plant height, dry matter and grain yield of maize over zero tillage by causing significant reduction in population and dry matter of weeds. Raised seed bed and conventional tillage recorded an increase in the grain yield to the tune of 13.2 and 17.2 % during first year and 14.2 and 16.6 during second year, respectively over zero tillage. However, there was no significant effect of tillage methods on quality components of the grains. Among weed control methods atrazine 1.5 kg ha-1 behaved statistically alike to acetachlor 1.25 kg ha-1 in significantly reducing the population and dry matter of weeds, thereby, producing significantly taller maize plants with higher dry matter content and 72.2 and 78.2 % higher grain yield over unweeded check during 2002 and 2003, respectively with significantly higher starch and protein content in grains. The corresponding values for acetachlor 1.25 kg ha-1 were 71.9 and 71.4%.

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