The Use of Soil Parameters in Predicting Weed Infestation in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT.A field work was carried out to investigate the extent to which selected soil chemical properties can influence weed species distribution. There were sixteen treatments of two factors (Fertilizer type and weeding regimes) laid out in RCBD. The treatments included four fertilizer types; no fertilizer (F1), inorganic fertilizer -NPK 15:15:15 applied at 100 kg NPK/ha (F2), organic fertilizer -phosphocompost applied at 2.5 t/ha and organomineral -50% NPK 15:15:15 plus 50% phosphocompost. Four weeding regimes: weedy treatment (W1), weeding once (W2), weeding twice (W3) and weed free (W4). Weed free and weed once significantly improved maize growth and yield parameter under inorganic and organomineral fertilizer types. Increasing soil pH, organic carbon and available phosphorus significantly reduced total weed biomass with plot that received no fertilizer been responsible for highest weed population. In organic fertilizer treatment significantly reduced soil pH from the initial 6.5 to 6.0 though, it combination with weed once or weed twice gave highest grain yield. Better nutrition (in terms of improved soil nutrient especially macro nutrient and organic carbon) when combined with weeding once can ascertain proper weed management and sustainable maize production. INTRODUCTIONThere are innumerable reports on the inhibitory effects of weeds on crop plants [1] and weeds can cause crop yield reduction up to 90% [2] Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, sunlight and other essential components in the environment required for good crop development and lead to yield reduction of the choice crop plant [3].A total of 263 weed species belonging to 38 families were found in crop fields in West Africa. Broad-leaved weeds (72%) and grasses (24%) dominated the total weed spectrum, whereas sedges (4%) were minor, weed species richness per field was similar across all agroecological zones and averaged about 16 per field [4]. Unweeded fields in Nigeria produced between 17 and 30 tons per hectare of fresh weed weight [5]. Weeds cause about $36 billion annual damage in the United States alone, unchecked, weeds effectively outcompete crops for resources and decrease the yield of food, feed, and fiber [6]. Weeds are persistent, adaptable, stress tolerant, competitive, and capable of extreme levels of reproduction More than 400 biotypes of weeds have evolved resistance to one or more of all the major groups of herbicides [7].A good understanding of how plants alter the soil ecosystem is critical to the management of crop-weed interactions and the consequent impacts of weed management practices on soil quality. Weeds are often perceived as exerting only negative effects on crop growth through competition for limiting soil nutrients, water, and light, thus necessitating management practices aimed at reducing these effects. While there is ample evidence to support this perception [8], there is also an increasing body of theory [9] and experimental evidence [10] suggesting that the specific characteristics of the weed community (i.e....

Phosphate leachate losses in sandy soil amended with different fertilizers and effects on cowpea yield

“…The soils of the study area (Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria) are dominantly sandy with sand fraction not less than 70% (Kolawole et al, 2018;Oyeyiola, 2017). These soils are grossly deficient in total nitrogen, available phosphorus with characteristic low water and nutrient holding capacity resulting from intense organic carbon depletion (Ewetola et al, 2019;Oyeyiola, 2017;Adesina et al, 2015). Chemical fertilizers especially NPK 15:15:15 and urea are used indiscriminately by farmers in the *Corresponding author.…”