Effect of Herbicides on Weed Flora, Soil Microflora and Yield of Maize

Weeds are associated with crops since time and create acute problem in rainy season crop. The yield of maize under Indian condition may be attributed by number of factors. Among harmful effect on the growing plants and interference with land use, weed rank as prime enemies in crop production. Weed characterized by a fast growing rate in their seeding stage become a potential source of competition specially for soil nutrients. They interfere with efficiency of fertilizer utilization by crop plants because a sizable portion of the fertilizer added to the soil is used by weed.In the near future, agriculture labour will become scarce and expensive. In this context, herbicides will have a important role to play in Indian agriculture as they are substitute for human labour. The present investigation was therefore planned to find out efficient herbicide technology for weed control in rainfed maize and also to study the different weed flora present in maize crop and effect of herbicides on soil microflora.