Potentiality of Soil Mulch and Sorghum Extract to Reduce the Biotic Stress of Weeds with Enhancing Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Maize Crop

Two field trials were conducted in 2018 and 2019 to develop practical and economically efficient weed control programs in corn. The experiment included six treatments (cowpea, rice straw, sorghum extract, hoeing, foramsulfuron herbicide and weedy check). The treatments were arranged in randomized co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gesunde Pflanzen 2021-12, Vol.73 (4), p.555-564
Main Authors: Saudy, Hani Saber, El-Bially, Mohamed, Ramadan, Khaled Ameen, Abo El-Nasr, Eman Khaled, Abd El-Samad, Goma Ahmed
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cereal crops
Control programs
Corn
Cowpeas
Crop yield
Grain
Herbicides
Life Sciences
Nutrient uptake
Nutrients
Original Article
Originalbeitrag
Plant Pathology
Rice
Seasons
Soil nutrients
Soils
Sorghum
Straw
Vigna unguiculata
Weed control
Weeds
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Summary:Two field trials were conducted in 2018 and 2019 to develop practical and economically efficient weed control programs in corn. The experiment included six treatments (cowpea, rice straw, sorghum extract, hoeing, foramsulfuron herbicide and weedy check). The treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Findings showed that reduction in total weed number was evident with application of hoeing, cowpea and rice straw in 2018 and 2019 seasons, in addition to foramsulfuron herbicide and sorghum extract in 2019. Cowpea, hoeing, foramsulfuron herbicide and rice straw recorded higher reduction in dry biomass of grassy weeds in both seasons. Reductions in N, P and K uptake by weeds because of rice straw and cowpea treatments were similar to hoeing treatment in both seasons. The increases in ear grain weight and grain yield ha −1 due to cowpea and hoeing treatments were similar to rice straw one. In 2019 season, cowpea treatment was the superior practice for improving N, P and K uptake of maize, significantly leveling hoeing for K uptake. The values of gross returns and benefit/cost ratio of cowpea and sorghum extract, respectively, were higher than rice straw application. In conclusion, cowpea as a live mulch achieved acceptable weed control in maize by reducing weeds growth and lowering their ability to deplete the soil nutrients. Also, cowpea treatment improves growth and yield of maize with better utilization of nutrients. Thus, cowpea could be exploited as an eco-friendly method of weed management programs in maize cultivation.
ISSN:0367-4223
1439-0345
DOI:10.1007/s10343-021-00577-z