| Abstrakt: |
A field experiment to study the integration of cultivars with reduced herbicide rates for weed management in maize (Zea mays L) was conducted at the University of Agriculture, Peshawar Pakistan. The crop was sown during June, 2007 in a triplicated randomized complete block (RCB) design with a split plot arrangement. Two local open pollinated maize cultivars (Azam and Pahari) were assigned to the main plots, three herbicides (full recommended 1x) and reduced doses (½x)) were kept into sub-plots. The herbicides included pendimethaline, s-metolachlor and atrazine @ 1.32 and 0.66, 1.57 and 0.78 and 1.44 and 0.72 kg a.i. ha-1, respectively and weedy check. Each sub-plot measured 5.6 x 3 m2. The data for each character were subjected to ANOVA technique and the significant means were separated by LSD test. For the main effects of cultivars, weed density at 60 days after treatment and harvesting were significant (P⩽0.05), while highly significant for leaves plant-1 and kernels cob-1. For herbicides, significant differences were recorded in all parameters studied except leaves plant-1 and harvest index. While, varieties × herbicides interaction was non-significant for all the traits except germination %. Cultivar Azam under s-metolachlor at full and reduced dose (1.44 and 0.72 kg a.i.ha-1) offered best control of weeds, higher kernels cob-1 and gave the highest biological yield of maize while variety Pahari was evaluated as more competitive with weeds. For the economic and environmental significance, it is recommended that reduced dose of s-metolachlor may be integrated with cv. Azam for the sustainability of the agr-ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
