Weeds and their control in corn [Kenya]
1987
Palmer, A.F.E. | Ransom, J.K. | Krishnamurthy, K. | Shenk, M.D.
Due to the range of farmer circumstance with respect to farm size, climate, soils, cropping or farming systems, weed spectrum, etc. there are a myriad of approaches to weed control in tropical maize. Most weed control practices involve seed-bed preparation, hand weeding or use of hand implements, animal drawn implements, rotations including fallows, etc. More rarely tractor power or herbicides are used. In some areas of the tropics, mechanic or chemical weed control in maize is complicated by the presence of other species as intercrops, relay crops, or in rotation with maize. A few species of weeds are especially difficult when present e.g. Cynodon dactylon, Sorghum halepense, Rottboellia exaltata, Cyperus species and the parasitic weed Striga species. Weed competition in the early stages of the maize crop has the greatest effect on yield. Timeliness of weed control operations presents small farmers in tropical environments with often insurmountable problems. Hence, pre-emergence herbicide application holds great promise. Herbicides of the triazine type offer excellent selective weed control opportunities in sole crop maize. Reduced tillage with combined contact and residual herbicides shows good promise in terms of effective weed control, lowering costs of production, decreasing the drudgery of production, conservation of moisture and decreasing erosion. However, availability of chemicals, application equipment and dissemination of information on this management-intensive technology are formidable constraints in tropical areas.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]