Effect of pre- and post-emergence (HPPD-Inhibitors) herbicides on weed dynamics and yield of kharif Maize (Zea mays)

Abstract

The research was conducted to determine the effect of new HPPD herbicides tembotrione, mesotrione, and topramezone on weed density, growth, and yield of maize. A field experiment was performed at the Agronomy farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India, during the kharif season of the year 2022, in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and eight treatments of weed management including T1: Atrazine @1kg ha-1 PE, T2: Pyroxasulfone @127g ha-1 PE, T3: Pyroxasulfone @ 127g + Atrazine @ 1kg ha-1 PE (tank mixture), T4: Tembotrione @ 120g + Atrazine @ 1kg ha-1 + MSO Adjuvant at 20 DAS (Tank mixture), T5: Topramezone @ 25g + Atrazine @ 1kg ha-1 + MSO Adjuvant at 20 DAS (Tank mixture), T6: Mesotrione 2.27% w/w+ atrazine 22.7% w/w SC @ 3.5L ha- 1 at 20 DAS (Ready to use), T7: Control (Weedy check) and T8: Weed free. However, the application of PoE herbicide T5 reduced the weed density significantly compared to T3 but was statistically at par with T6 and T4. There was a significant effect of herbicides on reducing weed dry matter, T5 gave superior results compared to T3 and was statistically at par with T4 and T6. Among the PoE herbicide T5 was significantly higher compared to T3 and statistically at par with T4. Effect on yield and yield component, the number of grains per cob was significantly higher in T8 compared to T7.