Studies on the effect of fertility levels and weed management practices on weed dynamics and yield of Jayad Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of integrated fertility levels and weed management practices on maize performance during the 2024-25 Jayad season. The study was carried out at the Agronomy Research Farm, Maharishi University of Information Technology, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), employing a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with three replications. The experiment comprised twelve treatment combinations derived from three fertility levels and four weed management strategies. The fertility levels included: F1 - 50% Recommended Dose of Fertilizers (RDF) + 100% Farmyard Manure (FYM) + 100% Vermicompost, F2 - 75% RDF + 75% FYM + 75% Vermicompost, and F3 - 100% RDF + 50% FYM + 50% Vermicompost. The weed management treatments were: W1 - Atrazine @ 1 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ (pre-emergence), W2 - Tembotrione @ 125 g a.i. ha⁻¹ (post-emergence), W3 - Hand weeding at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS), and W4 - Weedy check (unweeded control). The maize hybrid ‘Azad Uttam’ was used as the test crop. The results revealed significant effects of both fertility and weed management treatments on yield attributes and economic returns. Among the fertility levels, F3 (100% RDF + 50% FYM + 50% Vermicompost) recorded the highest grain yield, stover yield, biological yield, and shelling percentage, which were statistically at par with F2 (75% RDF + 75% FYM + 75% Vermicompost), indicating the synergistic benefits of integrated nutrient management. Regarding weed control methods, W3 (hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS) was found to be the most effective, significantly improving all major yield parameters over other treatments. It was followed by W2 (Tembotrione @ 125 g a.i. ha¹, post-emergence), which also showed strong weed suppression and yield enhancement. The highest benefit-cost (B:C) ratio of 2.45 was achieved with the treatment combination F3W2 (100% RDF + 50% FYM + 50% Vermicompost + Tembotrione), highlighting its economic viability. This was closely followed by F3W1 (100% RDF + 50% FYM + 50% Vermicompost + Atrazine), suggesting that the integration of chemical weed control with balanced nutrient management is a cost-effective strategy for maize production. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing both fertility inputs and weed management techniques to enhance productivity and profitability in maize cultivation under Jayad season conditions.