Modification of crop ecology in maize (Zea mays) through fertility levels and weed control measures under temperate conditions of Kashmir
2013
Bahar, Fayaz Ahmed | Singh, K.N.
A field experiment was conducted during kharif seasons of 2008 and 2009 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir to study the effect of fertility levels, mulching and weed management practices on the microclimate of crop, soil temperature, phenological changes and yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design with three replications and consisted of four treatments viz; N₉₀, N₉₀ + Azotobacter, N₁₂₀, and N₁₂₀ + Azotobacter in main plots and five treatments viz; polyethylene mulch, straw mulch @ 1.0 tonne/ha, hand weeding at 30 and 60 DAS, atrazine @1.0 kg a.i./ha and weedy check in subplots. Results revealed that N₉₀ + Azotobacter produced grain yields at par with N₁₂₀, resulting in saving of 30 kg N/ha. Highest grain yield 5.14 t/ha, stover and biological yield with concomitant increase in yield attributes viz; number of cobs/plant, number of rows/cob, number of grains/row, cob length, cob diameter, 1,000-grains weight was obtained with polyethylene mulch. Polyethylene mulch also helped plants to reach phenological stages two to four days earlier as compared to unweeded check. Percentage of light interception by crop at the middle of the canopy was maximum with N₁₂₀ + Azotobacter, more than other fertility levels. However, N₉₀ treatment recorded the highest percentage of light interception among all the fertility levels, when recorded at the bottom of the canopy. Light interception was most with polyethylene mulch among all the weed control treatments when recorded at the middle of the canopy, whereas it was most with weedy check treatment when recorded at the bottom of the canopy. The peak values for the interception of radiation were observed at 90 DAS. The soil temperature in the polyethylene mulched plots was 6–8°C higher as compared to un-mulched plots. Modification of crop ecology through polyethylene mulch and straw mulch resulted in 73.4% and 72.6% more grain yield, respectively, as compared to uncontrolled weedy check. Benefit cost ratio was the highest with N₁₂₀ + Azotobacter and atrazine @ 1.0 kg/ha, respectively.
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