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oyaimoloame@yahoo.com
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Department of Crop Production, Kwara State University, Malete, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Atrazine, Herbicides, Hoeing, Maize, Metolachlor, Nigeria, Southern Guinea Savanna, Weed management
A field trial was conducted in the southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria during 2018 and 2019 to determine the better time of fertilizer application and identify effective weed management options to manage weed infestation and increase maize grain yield. The treatments consisted of two fertilizer application timings and six weed control treatments. The experiment was a 2 x 6 factorial in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The fertilizer application at 0 and 6 weeks after seeding (WAS) was found better than application at 2 and 6 WAS in minimising weeds, however both the application timings had no significant influence on maize grain yield. The formulated ready-mixtures (RM) of metolachlor (373 g) + atrazine (375 g) at 1.5 kg/ha followed by (fb) one hoeing at 6 WAS, metolachlor (375 g) + atrazine (373 g) at 1.5 kg/ha fb nicosulfuron 0.03 kg/ha at 6 WAS, metolachlor + atrazine (RM) 1.5 kg/ha fb paraquat 0.7 kg/ha at 6 WAS and metolachlor + atrazine (RM) at 1.5 kg/ha fb 2,4-D (900 g) at 1.5 kg/ha significantly (p=0.05) reduced weed infestation by 89.3, 63.8, 48.2 and 39.8%, respectively. The use of metolachlor + atrazine (RM) 1.5 kg/ha fb one hoeing at 6 WAS, metolachlor + atrazine (RM) 1.5 kg fb nicosulfuron 0.03 kg/ha increased maize grain yield by 82.5 and 69.7%, respectively. These treatment combinations integrated with fertilizer timing application at 0 and 6 WAS may be used for efficient, economical and more eco-friendly management of weeds for increasing maize grain yield.