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Effects of herbicide, mulching, and irrigation on weed growth and corn yield

This study was designed to determine the effects of atrazine, mulching, and irrigation on weed growth and corn yields in minimum tillage. It consisted of two field experiments set out on two soil types, which were a Typic Hapludult, Cecil series, and a Typic Paleudult, Norfolk series, located at Watkinsville and Midville, Georgia, U.S.A., respectively. The experimental areas were planted to corn with irrigated and non-irrigated treatments, with mulched and non-mulched (bare) soil surfaces. These plots were sprayed with four rates of atrazine (AAtrex W-80). For the conditions of this study, the following conclusions are indicated: 1 - weed growth was more vigorous on mulched, non-irrigated plots than on plots with other treatments on Cecil soil. No significant differences in weed growth were found between treatments on Norfolk soil. On both experiments it was observed that weed growth tended to be less as rates of atrazine were increased; 2 - corn yields were substantially higher on mulched soil than under non-mulched ones, especially with irrigation on Cecil soil. Mulching did not affect corn yields significantly on the Norfolk soil. Atrazine controlled weeds and increased corn yields significantly on the Norfolk soil only.


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