2025, Vol. 8, Issue 5, Part I

author(s)
Riju Pratap Singh, Pratik Sanodiya, Pawan Kumar and Sanjana Singh

abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2023-24 at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, to evaluate the effect of VLCFA (very-long-chain fatty acid inhibitors), ALS (acetolactate synthase inhibitors), and 4-HPPD (4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitors) herbicides, along with integrated weed management (IWM) strategies, on weed suppression at 50 DAS, yields and economic in Kharif hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment followed a randomized block design (RBD) with twelve treatments and three replications. Among the treatments, pyroxasulfone 127 g/ha fb hand weeding at 25-30 DAS recorded the lower total weed density, dry weight and weed index (4%) while achieving 96% weed control efficiency (WCE) at 50 DAS. This treatment notably improved number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, chlorophyll content at 50 DAS, leading to higher grain (5.61 t/ha) and stover yields (8.14 t/ha), outperforming atrazine-based treatments, which provided moderate weed suppression, while raising concerns about herbicide resistance. Economic analysis revealed that pyroxasulfone 127 g/ha fb hand weeding at 25-30 DAS had the higher net return (120742 ₹/ha) and benefit-cost (B:C) ratio (2.7), making it the most profitable weed management strategy. The study concludes that application of pyroxasulfone 127 g/ha fb hand weeding at 25-30 DAS, offer effective, sustainable, and economically viable weed control at 50 DAS in Kharif hybrid maize under Varanasi’s agro-climatic conditions.