EFFECT OF ORGANIC MULCHES AND LIVING MULCHES ON WEED INFESTATION AND YIELD OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) DURING WET SEASON

Abstract

Mulching provides several benefits to the agro-ecosystem and plays an important role in integrated weed management system. To study the effect of organic mulches and living mulches on weed infestation and yield of maize, the experiments were conducted at the field of Department of Agronomy, Yezin Agricultural University (YAU) and Tatkon Agricultural Research Farm, Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) in Myanmar during wet season, 2023. In both locations, there were six treatments: control (no mulch) (T1), maize stover mulch (T2) and rice straw mulch) (T3) as organic mulches (8 ton ha-1), cowpea mulch (T4), green gram mulch (T5) and lablab bean mulch (T6) with the seed rate of each 10 kg ha-1 as living mulches by using Randomized complete block (RCB) design with three replications. In Yezin, the results showed that the lowest weed infestation was found in T3 followed by T2 among all treatments at all sampling times Among the selected living mulches treatments, the minimum weed infestation was observed in T4. The highest weed infestation was found in control (T1) in both study areas. In Tatkon, weed density was also significantly reduced by T3 and T2 at 15 days after sowing (DAS). After that, at 35 DAS, 55 DAS and 75 DAS, the better weed control efficiency was found in rice straw mulch (T3) followed by cowpea mulch (T4) and lablab bean mulch (T6). The minimum weed infestation was found in T3 followed by T4 and T6. However, the highest maize grain yield was observed in T4 in both study areas. Therefore, the cowpea mulch (T4) is suitable to control weed infestation and to optimize maize grain yield for sustainable maize cultivation of the study areas. Living mulch or organic mulch should be used in maize cultivation rather than without using mulch (control). Organic mulches should be used in places where living mulches are not suitable.