Interference of horse purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum L.) and other weeds affect yield of autumn planted maize (Zea mays L.)

Khuram Mubeen; Muhammad Waqas Yonas; Ahlam Khalofah; Rao Muhammad Ikram; Naeem Sarwar; Muhammad Shehzad; Allah Wasaya; Haseeb Ur Rehman; Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir; Mudassir Aziz; Mahmood Alam; Hafiz Muhammad Rashad Javeed; Mazhar Ali; Muqarrab Ali; Matlob Ahmad; Abdul Khaliq; Muhammad Abdul Qayyum; Wazir Ahmad; Khalid Ali Khan

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.023

Interference of horse purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum L.) and other weeds affect yield of autumn planted maize (Zea mays L.)

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 Apr;28(4):2291-2300. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.023. Epub 2021 Jan 20.

Authors

Khuram Mubeen¹, Muhammad Waqas Yonas¹, Ahlam Khalofah^{2

3}, Rao Muhammad Ikram¹, Naeem Sarwar⁴, Muhammad Shehzad⁵, Allah Wasaya⁶, Haseeb Ur Rehman⁴, Tauqeer Ahmad Yasir⁶, Mudassir Aziz¹, Mahmood Alam⁷, Hafiz Muhammad Rashad Javeed⁸, Mazhar Ali⁶, Muqarrab Ali¹, Matlob Ahmad⁹, Abdul Khaliq¹⁰, Muhammad Abdul Qayyum¹¹, Wazir Ahmad¹², Khalid Ali Khan^{2

3

13}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan.
² Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia.
³ Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Agronomy, Baha ud Din Zakaria University Multan, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Agronomy, The University of Poonch Rawalakot AJK, Pakistan.
⁶ College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakaria University Bahadur, Sub Campus, Layyah, Pakistan.
⁷ Department of Seed Science and Technology, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan.
⁸ Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari campus, Pakistan.
⁹ Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan.
¹⁰ Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, Kotla Ahmad Road, Rajanpur, Pakistan.
¹¹ Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan.
¹² Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan.
¹³ Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

To assess comparative losses of Trianthema portulacastrum (HP) relative to other weeds, the experiment was set during consecutive summer seasons 2018 and 2019 at the Research Farm MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan. Experiment consisted three replications which were laid out under randomized complete block design. Experiment consisted of ten treatments viz: weeds free (whole season), HP free till 20 Days after emergence (DAE), HP free till 40 DAE, HP free till 60 DAE, all weeds free 20 DAE, all weeds free 40 DAE, all weeds free 60 DAE, weedy check (all weeds), weedy check except HP and weedy check containing only HP. During 2018 in all weeds weedy check, maximum HP relative density (33.33%) was observed while in 2019, plot where weeds were controlled from growing till 20 DAE showed (80%) relative density at 30 DAE. HP maximum frequency (66.67%, 77.78%) and relative frequency (66%, 100%) was recorded at 45 DAE in plots where HP was kept controlled till 20 DAE and all weeds kept controlled till 20 DAE, respectively. Maximum number of grains per cob (738, 700.68), 1000 grain weight (306.66, 271.51 g) and grain yield (6150, 8015 kg hec^-1) were recorded in plots which were kept all weed free till 60 DAE. As the competition period of weeds increased over 40 DAE, it substantially reduced yield of maize. Keeping the plots HP free till 40 DAE in the maize fields with HP as the major dominating weed, likely increase in maize grain yield is up to 30% compared to the fields where HP left un attended throughout the growing season. However, if maize field is infested with a mix of weeds with more than one dominating weeds including HP, compared to weedy situation the whole season, 30% higher grain yield can be obtained if all weeds are kept controlled till 40 DAE. Hence it can be concluded that whether the farmers face heavy HP infestation only or the mix of weeds as dominating weeds, in either case farmer should control weeds within first 40 days in maize field for better grain yield.

Keywords: Critical period of competition; HP; Horse purslane; Trianthema portulacastrum; Weed dynamics; Yield; Zea mays.