EFFICACY OF VARIOUS HERBICIDES AGAINST WEEDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON YIELD OF MAIZE

A field experiment was conducted at AgricultureResearch Institute Tarnab, Peshawar during Kharif season2008. The experiment was laid out in randomized completeblock design having four replications. The experimentconsidered six herbicide treatments (Primextra gold, Dualgold, Atarax, 2,4-D, hand weeding and weedy check). Thesoil was fertilized with 120 kg ha-1 N and 90 kg ha-1 P in theform of urea and single super phosphate, respectively. Theseeds of maize variety ‘Azam’ were sown in plots. Weedscontrol treatments significantly affected weed density m-2,weeds flora, plant height, grain yield, biological yield andharvest index of maize crop. Application of Dual gold asfoliar spray resulted in lower weed density (12 m-2) andhigher biological yield (9185 kg ha-1). Maximum plant height(164 cm), grain yield (3147 kg ha-1) and harvest index(34.8 %) were recorded in hand weeding. Weedy checkresulted in high weed density, dwarf plants (149 cm), lowerbiological yield (6822 kg ha-1), lower grain yield and harvestindex. It is concluded that application of Dual goldsignificantly decreased weeds density m-2 and increasedgrain yield among the herbicides applied and hencerecommended for obtaining higher grain yield of maize.