3rd Edition Of Plant Science and Molecular Biology World Conference 2026

Abstract

Weeds are currently the main bottlenecks of crop production in Ethiopia, especially during the rainy season. Thus, field experiment was conducted at Dambi Dollo University from June to December in 2023 main cropping season to identify the critical period of weed competition in maize at Dambi Dollo, Western Ethiopia. The field experiment was comprised of ten treatments (weed competition for the whole season, weed competition for 2 weeks from sowing, weed competition for 4 weeks from sowing, weed competition for 6 weeks from sowing, weed competition for 8 weeks from sowing, weed free for 2 weeks from sowing, weed free for 4 weeks from sowing, weed free for 6 weeks from sowing, weed free for 8 weeks from sowing and weed free for the whole season). The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that weed population, weed fresh weight, weed dry weight, days to tasseling, days to silking, days to 90% physiological maturity, plant height, number of ear per plant, above ground dry biomass, grain yield, harvest index and yield loss were highly significantly affected by weed competition and removal duration. Among the weed competition and removal duration treatments, the highest plant height (437.5 cm) and grain yield (7777.8 kg/ha) were recorded in weed free for 8 weeks from sowing treated plots followed to weed free for the whole season treated plots. The shortest days to tasseling, silking and physiological maturity (75.6, 96.6 and 125.6 respectively) were recorded in weed free for the whole season followed by (78.3, 98.3 and 128.3 respectively) weed competition for 6 weeks from sowing. The highest number of ear per plant and above ground dry biomass (2.0 and 2716.7 kg/ha respectively) were recorded in weed free for the whole season followed by weed free for 8 weeks from sowing. The highest number of kernel per ear (558.3) and 100 kernel weight (44.3g) were recorded in weed free for the whole season. The loss in grain yield due to unweeded check was 6,037.1 kg/ha as compared with weed free treatment. Removal of weeds at 14, 42 and 56 DAS produced 7,555.6, 7,703.7 and 777.8 kg/ha respectively while, weed free treatment produced 8851.9 kg/ha. These treatments significantly produced the highest grain yield per hectare compared to unweeded check. In general, plots treated with weed free for the whole season produced the highest grain yield followed by plots treated with weed free for 8 weeks.
Keywords: Maize; Critical period; weed competition