Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION SCHEDULING BASED ON IW:CPE ATIOS, LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND HERBICIDAL WEED CONTROL ON SUMMER MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) AND ITS RESIDUAL EFFECT ON SUCCEEDING KHARIF GREEN GRAM (VIGNA RADIATA L.) UNDER MIDDLE GUJARAT CONDITIONS, INDIA

J.R. Parmar, A.B. Parmar, H.K. Patel, P.R. Dave, J.V. Suthar and C.S. Patel

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during summer season in the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 with succeeding kharif green gram at College Agronomy Farm, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat to study the “Influence of irrigation scheduling based on IW:CPE ratios, levels of nitrogen and herbicidal weed control on summer maize (Zea mays L.) and its residual effect on succeeding kharif green gram (Vigna radiata L.) under middle Gujarat conditions” Twenty four treatment combinations were replicated four times. Irrigation at critical growth stages and Irrigation schedules based on IW: CPE ratios (0.6, 0.8, 1.0 IW:CPE ratio), two levels of nitrogen(100 and 150 kgha-1 ,The full dose of phosphorus @ 50 kg ha-1 in the form of SSP and 50 % nitrogen were applied in opened furrows in the form of urea as basal application at the time of sowing and remaining 50 % nitrogen applied as top dressing in two splits at 30 and 50 DAS in the form of urea as per treatment) and pre-emergence and post-emergence application of herbicides were tested in maize. Herbicides, Tank Mix application of Atrazine + Pendimethalin @ 0.50 + 0.25 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence and Sulfonylurea @ 35 g ha-1 as post-emergence at 15 DAS were used for controlling weeds and weedy check. The results revealed that different irrigation schedules shown significant influence on plant growth characters, yield attributes and economic returns. Positive response of nitrogen application were found on growth and yield attributes. Herbicidal treatments tank mix application of atrazine + pendimethalin @ 0.50 + 0.25 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence were superior over application of sulfonylurea @ 35 g ha-1 as post-emergence at 15 DAS and weedy check in term of number of cobs per plant, cob length (cm), cob girth (cm), 100 grain weight (g), grain yield (kgha-1), stover yield (kgha-1) and harvest index (%) with good control of weeds.