Effect of Rice Husk, Hoe Weeding and Glyphosat E in the Management of Spear Grass (Imperata cylindrica) on Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Trials were conducted on a highly infested fields with Imperata cylindrica at Mokwa ( 09o 18N and 05o 04E) during 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons to evaluate the effects of rice husk, hoe weeding and glyphosate application in the management of spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) on maize (Zea mays L). The trials were laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisted of four treatments viz: rice husk, glyphosate application, hoe weeding and no weeding as a control replicated four (4) times. The results showed that the burning of rice husk caused significant (p < 0.05) delay in the number of days to first emergence and lower shoot count of Imperata cylindrica with resultant higher maize cobs and grain yield were compared to those of application of glyphosate, hoe weeding and no weeding. However, the maize plants were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) taller at the time of harvest with the application of glyphosate and burning of rice husk than the corresponding hoe weeding and no weeding.