EFFECT OF SOME WEED CONTROL TREATMENTS ON YIELD, ASSOCIATED WEEDS AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION FOR MAIZE GRAINS.

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted during the two successive seasons of 2012 and 2013 at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafrelsheikh to investigate the efficacy of some weed control treatments for controlling total annual weeds as well as yield and chemical composition for maize grains. The weed control treatments were acetochlor, fluroxypyr and bentazone plus one hand hoeing at 30 days after sowing in addition to the hand hoeing twice. Results indicated that the hand hoeing twice or the herbicides (acetochlor, fluroxypyr and bentazone) plus one hand hoeing were effective in controlling broad-leaved, grassy and total annual weeds at two surveys in both seasons. Whereas, these treatments suppressed dry weight of total annual weeds at least by 93.3 % than un-weeded control treatment. Also, the results revealed that all weed control treatments increased maize plant height, ear length, ear diameter; ear grains weight, shelling percentage, 100- grain weight and grain yield/fed. The results showed that all treatments gave a noticeable increase in protein and oil contents of the grains, and a decrease in phenols content. Also, all treatments affected slightly carbohydrates, starch%, amino acids contents and fatty acids composition of maize grains as comparing with the control treatment. It can be concluded that all the applied weed control treatments, whether, hand hoeing twice or (acetochlor, fluroxypyr and bentazone) plus one hand hoeing could be recommended for optimum weed control and grain yield of single hybrid maize c.v. single cross 10 (SC10). These practices gave a promising reduction of total annual weeds and increased maize yield and its components. Thus, these herbicidal treatments can replace hand hoeing for the control of total annual weeds in maize crop.