Evaluation of agronomic performance of local and improved maize (Zea mays L.) varieties under weeds pressure

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the second most cultivated cereal after rice in Côte d’Ivoire. It is widely used in both human and animal diets across many communities. However, its production remains faced with recurrent yield declines, mainly related to weeding. Identifying maize variety with the highest performance against weeds could constitute the most appropriate solution in the agro-economic context of most farmers. Two weeding techniques, namely manual and chemical, and a control modality without weeding were applied to three maize varieties: yellow, purple and EV8728 SR. Their phenological, growth and agronomic parameters were evaluated. The results showed that manual weeding was more effective for weed control in maize. In addition, the comparison of all three varieties faced with severe weed pressure on non-weedy plots showed that purple variety recorded the lowest values, yellow variety showed intermediate values, while EV variety clearly stood out for its strong ability to grow and maintain high agronomic performance. Further studies may allow us to search for genes responsible for the tolerance of the EV variety involved in weed tolerance