Efficacy of herbicide formulations for weed control in maize in a humid tropical environment

Weeds are a serious constraint to maize production in the tropics. A field experiment was conducted in Cameroon, at the University of Buea Research farm in 2009 and 2010 to evaluate the efficacy of formulations of nicosulfuron (Nicomaïs 40SC), glyphosate (Roundup 360) and paraquat (Gramoxone 200g a.i./l) for weed control in maize. Treatments were nicosulfuron applied at 1 l/ha two weeks after planting maize, glyphosate applied at 6 l/ha before planting maize, paraquat applied at 6 l/ha with hoe weeded and unweeded control plots. Results showed that in both years, the weeded control and all herbicide treatments had lower weed density and dry matter, and higher grain yield than the unweeded control. The unweeded control had 1.3- 3.2 times more weeds than the herbicide treatments at crop harvest. Treatments with nicosulfuron gave the highest reduction in weed dry matter (92%). Treatments with glyphosate reduced weed dry matter by 59%, while those with paraquat gave a reduction of 49%. Maize grain yield in nicosulfuron treatments and the weeded control was similar and higher than that in treatments with glyphosate by 26%, those with paraquat by 51% and the unweeded control by 61%. The net gain of treatments with nicosulfuron was more than that with all other treatments. Nicosulfuron was more effective for weed control in maize than glyphosate and paraquat because it provided seasonal long control of the dominant weed species

The potential of kyllinga erecta Schumach and Cyperus rotundus Linn. to remediate soil contaminated with heavy metals from used engine oil in Cameroon

Contaminated soils are a serious environmental problem in developing countries. Poor disposal of used engine oil from vehicles is a source of soil contamination in Buea, Cameroon. This study was conducted in the University of Buea Teaching and Research Farm to determine the ability of two sedges (Kyllinga erecta Schumach and Cyperus rotundus Linn.) to remediate crop land contaminated with used engine oil. The experiment consisted of the two sedges and the following used oil levels (v/wt): 0, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 60 ml/kg of soil. Control treatments with 0 and 60 ml of used engine oil/kg of soil without the sedges were also included. The plant (roots and shoots) and soil samples were analyzed for heavy metal contents using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Mass Spectrometry analytical package for ultra-low detection and high precision. The root and shoot dry biomass of both sedges decreased with an increase in soil contamination. Cyperus rotundus accumulated high concentrations of Cr (mean = 64.8 ± 19.5 ppm) and Cd (mean =1.2 ± 0.2 ppm) in its roots. Kyllinga erecta had the potential to extract Sn, Cd, Mn, Sr and Mo on soils contaminated with used oil at 60 ml/kg. Cyperus rotundus had phytostabilisation potential for Cd at concentrations of used oil ≤20 ml/kg and Rb at 20 ml/kg. The sedge also had phytoextraction potential for Cr and Rb on soils contaminated with used oil at concentrations up to 20 ml/kg. Therefore, the use of indigenous plants adapted to tropical environments could be a possible option for the sustainable remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals from used engine oil

Response of weeds and soil microorganisms to imazaquin and pendimethalin in cowpea and soybean

Published online 23 August 2014Herbicides applied to combat weeds and increase crop yields may also have undesired effects on beneficial soil microorganisms. Field studies were conducted in 2005 and 2006 in Zaria, Nigeria, to evaluate the response of weeds and soil microorganisms to imazaquin applied at 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.40 kg a.i./ha and pendimethalin applied at 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 kg a.i./ha in cowpea and soybean. Hoeweeded and unweeded (no herbicide) plots were controls. Both herbicides significantly reduced weed biomass in both crops, when compared to the unweeded control, which had the highest weed biomass at all sampling dates. Treatments with 0.40 kg a.i./ha of imazaquin, 2.0 and 4.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin, and the hoe-weeded control, had the highest cowpea grain yield. The unweeded control had the lowest grain yield which was comparable to that in all other herbicide treatments. All treatments except 4.0 and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin had higher soybean grain yield than the unweeded control. Soybean yield was lowest in the unweeded control, and treatments that received 4.0 and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin. All rates of imazaquin gave similar soybean grain yields that were 29e41% higher than that from pendimethalin. The hoe-weeded control had the highest yield, which was 79% more than that in the unweeded control. Higher rates of imazaquin and pendimethalin reduced nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi colonisation in both crops. VAM fungi species diversity and species richness in cowpea rhizosphere soil and species diversity in soybean rhizosphere soil were reduced relative to the controls due to application of both herbicides with the rates of 0.10, 0.20, and 0.40 kg a.i./ha of imazaquin and 8.0 kg a.i./ha of pendimethalin being significantly effective

Effect of nicosulfuron dosages and timing on the post emergence control of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) in corn (Zea mays)

Cogongrass is an aggressive perennial weed, which causes severe yield losses in major crops of the moist savanna of West Africa. Field studies were conducted from 2000 to 2002 at Alabata and Ilorin, Nigeria, to evaluate the influence of dosage and time of nicosulfuron application on the control of cogongrass and corn grain yield. Nicosulfuron dosages were 50, 100, 150, and 200 g ai/ha applied 1, 2, 3, or 4 wk after planting (WAP) corn. Hand-weeded and nonweeded treatments were the controls. Three to 4 wk after treatment and at final harvest, all plots that received nicosulfuron had significantly lower cogongrass shoot dry matter (DM) than the nonweeded control across locations in all years (P ≤ 0.01). Nicosulfuron increased corn grain yield at Alabata by 96% in 2000, 100% in 2001, and 34 to 54% in 2002, and at Ilorin by 79 to 83% in 2001 and 60 to 69% in 2002 when compared with the nonweeded control. The weeded control had corn grain yield similar to plots that received nicosulfuron at 200 g/ha at Alabata in 2001, 150 g/ha at Ilorin in 2001, 50 to 200 g/ha at Alabata in 2002, and 150 and 200 g/ha at Ilorin in 2002. There were negative linear relationships between corn DM, grain yield, and cogongrass shoot DM. Application of nicosulfuron at 1 or 2 WAP, when cogongrass was 22 to 27 cm tall, gave better grain yield and lower cogongrass shoot DM than at 3 or 4 WAP, when cogongrass was 36 to 45 cm tall. The study concludes that 150 to 200 g/ha of nicosulfuron applied at 1 or 2 WAP is effective for cogongrass control without adverse effect on corn grain yield

Legumemaize rotation and nitrogen effects on weed performance in the humid and subhumid tropics of West Africa

A long-term trial was established in 1998. The objectives among others were to assess the impact of nitrogen, natural bush fallow, and legume−maize rotations on weed growth and species composition in the forest/savanna transition zone (Ibadan) and northern Guinea savanna (Zaria) in Nigeria. At both locations, the experiment was arranged as a split-plot design. The main plots were green manure legumes (Pueraria phaseoloides [Roxb.] Benth in Ibadan and Aeschynomene histrix Poir. in Zaria), a forage legume (Stylosanthes guianensis [Aubl.] Sw.), grain legumes (cowpea [Vigna unguiculata {L.} Walp ‘IT-90K-284-2’ or soybean [Glycine max {L.} Merr ‘TGx 1864 and TGx 1485-1 D’), natural bush fallow, and continuous cropping with maize [Zea mays L.]/cassava [Manihot esculenta Crantz] ‘82/00058’ at Ibadan and maize at Zaria. Grain legumes were either double-cropped in one season by growing short-duration soybean with cowpea varieties sequentially, or by growing long-duration cultivars within one growing season. Nitrogen levels (0 and 30 kg N ha−1) were the subplot treatments. Weed data were collected in 2000 and 2003 after 2 years of continuous cropping or rotation with natural fallow or legumes. Weed density was significantly higher at Zaria (177 plants m−2) than at Ibadan (149 plants m−2). Weed dry matter was higher at Ibadan than at Zaria. Weed density and dry matter were lower in the green manure and forage legume treatments in both years at Ibadan. At Zaria, the forage legume treatment had the lowest weed density and dry matter in 2003 only. In 2003 at Ibadan, per capita weed population growth rate (WPGR) decreased in the green manure and forage legume treatments. There was an increase in WPGR in continuous cropping, double-cropping with cowpea and soybean, and natural bush fallow treatments. At Zaria, WPGR was not affected by fallow type or nitrogen (P>0.05). Redundancy analysis showed significant differences in species composition among the various treatments. Nitrogen level did not affect density, dry matter, or the composition of weeds

Biplot analysis of diallel crosses of early maturing tropical yellow maize inbreds in stress and nonstress environments

Published online: 23 Nov. 2010Appropriate testers are needed as well as information on heterotic patterns of tropical lowland early-maturing germplasm. Diallel crosses involving nine tropical early maturing maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds were evaluated at five locations in Nigeria from 2007 to 2009 under drought stress, when Striga infested, and in optimal growing conditions to examine the combining abilities and heterotic patterns and identify appropriate testers. Results revealed that TZEI 17 was the closest to the ideal tester and may be considered as the best under drought stress, TZEI 23 and TZEI 9 under artificial Striga infestation, and TZEI 13 across growing conditions. No appropriate tester was identified for the optimal growing conditions. Inbreds were placed in three contrasting tester groups under drought stress, and four groups each were placed under Striga infestation and optimal growing conditions and across research environments. Hybrids between inbreds in contrasting tester groups of each research environment are expected to show heterosis. TZEI 23 × TZEI 13 had a superior performance under all research conditions, suggesting that it has a broad adaptation. Classification of inbreds into distinct tester groups was not possible for 33% of the inbreds under drought stress and for 22% when Striga infested, under optimal growing conditions, and across the test environments