article · Molecules
A two-season field study examined integrated nutrient and weed management practices in hybrid maize cultivation. Replacing a quarter of inorganic nitrogen fertiliser with concentrated organic manures, specifically Brassicaceous seed meal and neem cake, suppressed the dominant weed species Anagalis arvensis by releasing allelochemicals into the soil. However, organic manures did not significantly hinder bold-seeded weeds or tuber-propagated species such as Cyperus rotundus. Among the evaluated manures, Brassicaceous seed meal enhanced crop growth and raised maize grain yield by 19 percent compared to chemical fertiliser alone in the second year. Regarding weed control, applying atrazine as a pre-emergence herbicide lowered the density of Anagalis arvensis, while combining pre-emergence atrazine with subsequent mechanical weeding effectively managed other weed species, achieving the highest maize yields across both seasons.
Maize growers face declining productivity and environmental concerns while dealing with persistent weed pressure. Demonstrating that organic supplements such as Brassicaceous seed meal can suppress specific weed species and enhance crop yields provides actionable methods to reduce reliance on purely chemical inputs. Combining targeted organic manures with mechanical weeding alongside standard herbicides offers a practical approach to improving farm yields sustainably.
This work presents applied and tested field-level agronomic practices for hybrid maize growers and agricultural extension services. By demonstrating the efficacy of Brassicaceous seed meal and neem cake alongside mechanical weeding, it highlights an opportunity for organic fertiliser producers to formulate concentrated nutrient supplements with weed-suppressing allelopathic properties. Because the research is already field-tested across two seasons, these integrated nutrient and weed management regimes appear near-market for direct adoption by commercial farms.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Declining rate of productivity and environmental sustainability is forcing growers to use organic manures as a source of nutrient supplement in maize farming. However, weed is a major constraint to maize production. A field study was carried out over two seasons to evaluate various integrated nutrient and weed management practices in hybrid maize. The treatment combinations comprised of supplementation of inorganic fertilizer (25% nitrogen) through bulky (Farmyard manure and vermicompost) and concentrated (<i>Brassicaceous</i> seed meal (BSM) and neem cake (NC)) organic manures and different mode of weed management practices like chemical (atrazine 1000 g ha<sup>-1</sup>) and integrated approach (atrazine 1000 g ha<sup>-1</sup> followed by mechanical weeding). Repeated supplementation of nitrogen through concentrated organic manures reduced the density and biomass accumulation of most dominant weed species, <i>Anagalis arvensis</i> by releasing allelochemicals into the soil. But organic manures had no significant impact on restricting the growth of bold seeded weeds like <i>Vicia hirsuta</i> and weed propagated through tubers i.e., <i>Cyperus rotundus</i> in maize. By restricting the weed growth and nutrient removal by most dominating weeds, application of BSM enhanced the growth and yield of maize crop. Repeated addition of organic manures (BSM) enhanced the maize grain yield by 19% over sole chemical fertilizer in the second year of study. Application of atrazine as pre-emergence (PRE) herbicide significantly reduced the density of <i>A</i>. <i>arvensis</i>, whereas integration of mechanical weeding following herbicide controlled those weeds which were not usually controlled with the application of atrazine. As a result, atrazine at PRE followed by mechanical weeding produced the highest maize grain yield 6.81 and 7.10 t/ha in the first year and second year of study, respectively.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214924
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
