Response of Legume intercropping systems and integrated weed management practices on physiological and yield traits of maize (Zea mays L.) in Northwestern agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu
K. Gokulakannan, D. Kumarimanimuthu Veeral, E. Ponnarasi and R. Krishnamoorthy
Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Chidambaram – 608002 (India) Email: gokulakannan.agri@gmail.com and dkmveeral@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most vibrant food grain crops under diverse edaphological conditions. However, the low productivity of maize in Tamil Nadu’s northwestern agro-climatic zones where maize is the major crop can be attributed to a number of limiting factors, such as wider spacing and poor weed management practices. It’s an essential to find a suitable integrated weed management practices and intercropping systems to enhance the productivity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the suitable legume based intercropping system and weed management practices for the maize in Northwestern Agro climatic zones of Tamil Nadu. The field experiment was conducted at Ramarkoodal village, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu during kharif 2020. This experiment was laid out in Split plot design with three replications. The main plots were assigned with three cropping systems, viz. maize, maize + blackgram, maize + cowpea and sub plots were five weed management practices viz., S1 - Weedy check, S2 - Stale seed bed + Rotary hoeing on 35 DAS, S3 - Soil solarization + Rotary hoeing on 35 DAS, S4 - PE Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a.i ha-1 + Rotary hoeing on 35 DAS and S5 - Rotary hoeing at 20 DAS+ Hand weeding on 35 DAS. Application of pendimethalin at 0.75 kg/ha followed by one rotary hoeing on 35 DAS recorded the highest weed control efficiency and reduced weed populations and weed dry matter production at 60 DAS. The maize + cowpea system has positively influenced in plant height, LAI and dry matter production of maize at 30, 60 and 90 DAS respectively.