Effect of different weed management practices on production of spring maize in Dang, Nepal

The study was carried out at Lamahi-8, Satbariya, Dang to evaluate the effect of different weed management practices on the production of spring maize. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design using three replications and seven treatments. Rampur hybrid 10 variety and early post emergence (EPoE) herbicide were used in the experiment. The treatment consisted of single as well as combined weed management methods as T1:  Broadcasting-One hand weeding, T2: Broadcasting-Herbicide, T3: Line sown- One hand weeding, T4: Line sown-Herbicide + one hand weeding, T5: Line sown- Mini tiller weeder, T6: Line sown- herbicide + mini tiller and T7: Line sown- One hand weeding + mini tiller. The experiment result showed that the combined application of early post emergence herbicide and mini tiller resulted the highest grain yield (8.62 Mt/ha) with minimum total weed density at 60 DAS (41.33/m2) and at harvest (68/m2) thus resulting minimum weed dry weight at 60 DAS (5.45 g/m2) and at harvest (10.64 g/m2). Sixteen different weed species belonging to 9 different families were identified in the experimental field. The highest benefit: cost (3.37) was obtained in the treatment Line sown-Herbicide + mini tiller weeder which was significantly higher compared to other treatments. Among the treatments applied, one with the application of herbicide in combination with mini tiller weeder was found to be the most effective one that resulted in the minimum weed density and minimum dry weight, higher grain and biological yield with the highest benefit cost ratio thus proving to be the most economical one. At the same time, application of mini tiller weeder as a single method was found to be the next better alternative for weed control in spring maize that could benefit the farmers in comparison to other single weed management practices.