Effect of pre-emergence plant extracts for weed control on yield and economics of maize (Zea mays L.)

Weeds are a major constraint in maize cultivation, significantly reducing maize yield. by 28-95%. Although chemical weed control is predominant there is need to explore ecofriendly alternatives to synthetic herbicides. Some pot culture experiments conducted earlier highlighted potential weed control abilities in plant extracts which needed to be evaluated in field conditions. Thus, A field experiment entitled “Effect of Pre-Emergence Plant Extracts for Weed Control on Yield and Economics of Maize (Zea mays L.)” was conducted during the kharif season 2024 at the Instructional Farm of Dr. Sharadchandra Pawar College of Agriculture, Baramati (Maharashtra). The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications There were eleven treatments viz., Cassia tora, Datura metel, Azadirachta indica, and Mangifera indica aqueous leaf extracts at 25 and 50 percent as pre-emergence followed by one hand weeding at 30 DAS, Atrazine at 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence followed by one hand weeding at 30 DAS, weed-free check (Hand weeding at 15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS) and weedy check. The results showed that the yield contributing characters like number of cobs plant-1, length of cob (cm), cob girth (cm), seed index (g), weight of cob (g) were recorded higher with treatment weed free which were at par with Atrazine at 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence followed by one hand weeding at 30 DAS. Among the plant extract treatments, Datura metel aqueous leaf extracts at 50 percent followed by one hand weeding at 30 DAS showed next best results in enhancing yield attributes, yield and suppressing weed growth. Economic analysis also showed higher net returns (142860 ₹ha⁻¹, 129541₹ ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratios (2.98, 2.84) with use of Atrazine at @1.0 kg ai ha-1 and Datura metel aqueous leaf extract at 50% as pre-emergence fb one hand weeding on 30 DAS respectively. The study concludes that atrazine followed by hand weeding on 30 DAS is the most effective strategy for maximizing maize yield and economic returns, while Datura metel aqueous leaf extract at 50% as pre-emergence fb one hand weeding on 30 DAS presents a viable and sustainable alternative for integrated weed management.