IMPACT OF NEW GENERATION HERBICIDES ON WEED CONTROL EFFICIENCY AND YIELD POTENTIAL OF SPRING MAIZE IN SANDY LOAM SOILS OF PUNJAB

A field experiment was conducted at the Division of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India during spring of 2021-2022 in a randomized block design with eight weed treatments and three replications. The lowest weed density and biomass, highest weed control efficiency and maize growth parameters, yield characteristics, kernel, and straw yields were recorded with the post-emergence application of 2, 4-D Na combined with hand weeding at 60 DAS which was statistically at the same level as hand weeding Twice (30 & 60 DAS) followed by (fb) pre-emergence application (PE) of Atrazine with Single hand weeding at 30 DAS. Among the herbicidal treatments, maximum growth and yield attributes, highest monitory returns, (33287₹/ha) and B:C ratio of (1.74), were recorded with treatment of post-emergence application of 2, 4-D Na combined with hand weeding at 60 DAS fb Atrazine with Single hand weeding at 30 DAS.