Effect of weed management practices on weed observations, yield and economics of irrigated maize

A field experiment was carried out during the kharif, 2021 (July - October) to evaluate the effect of weed management practices on weed dynamics and yield of irrigated maize and to work out the economics of different weed management practices in irrigated maize. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with nine treatments and replicated thrice. The treatments includes T₁ - Unweeded control, T₂ - Twice hand weeding on 20 and 40 DAS, T₃ - Pre emergence Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS, T₄ - Pre emergence Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS + one hand weeding on 30 DAS, T₅ - Pre emergence Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS + Post emergence Tembotrione 34.4% SC @ 100 g ha^-1 on 21 DAS, T₆ - Pre emergence Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS + Intercrop with black gram, T₇ - Pre emergence Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS + Mulching with sugarcane trash on 21 DAS, T₈ - Intercropping alone and T₉ - Mulching alone on 21 DAS. The least weed biomass, highest yield parameters with maximum net return and B:C ratio observed in the application of pre emergence oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 0.2 kg ha^-1 on 3 DAS + intercrop with black gram(T₆). The results of the study showed to be efficient and economically feasible technology to manage the weeds and to realize better returns from the irrigated hybrid maize.