Grain yield, Maize

Pre-and post-emergence herbicides

Weed control efficiency

Weed index

A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during Kharif 2016 and 2017 to find out the best chemical weed management practices in maize. Ten treatments were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications. Treatments consisted of pre-emergence (PE) and post-emergence (PoE) herbicide applications along with weed-free check and weedy check. Experimental results indicated that pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha as PE fb atrazine 0.75 kg/ha + 2,4-D amine 0.4 kg/ha at 25 DAS as PoE recorded lowest weed index (4.9 and 3.9% respectively, during Kharif 2016 and 2017) followed by treatment atrazine 1.5 kg/ha as pre-emergence fb tembotrione 120 g/ha as PoE at 25 DAS (5.6 and 4.4%, respectively). Grain yield was significantly higher (6.71 and 6.67 t/ha, respectively) with treatment weed-free than all other treatments however, it was statistically at par with treatment pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha as PE fb atrazine 0.75 kg/ha + 2,4-D amine 0.4 kg/ha at 25 DAS as PoE (6.38 and 6.41 t/ha, respectively during Kharif 2016 and 2017) followed by atrazine 1.5 kg/ha as PE fb tembotrione 120 g/ha as PoE at 25 DAS (6.34 and 6.37 t/ha,  respectively).