EFFECTS OF WEED CONTROL METHOD ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) IN MINNA, NIGER STATE

Abstract

Field experiment was carried out at the teaching and research farm of the Federal University of Technology, GidanKwano,Minna, Niger state during the 2021 cropping season. The field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of weed control methods on growth and yield of soybean. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisting of Ten (10) treatments and replicated three (3) times. The treatments were Soybean, Hoe weeding at 3 weeks(W3), Hoe weeding at 3 and 6th week (W3,6), Hoe weeding at 3,6 and 9th week (W3,6,9), No weeding (W0), Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 1.5kg a.i/ha(H1.5), Preemergence Herbicides at rate 2.0kg a.i/ha(H2.0), Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 1.5kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 weeks (H1.5+W6), Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 1.5kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 and 9weeks (H1.5+W6,9), Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 2.0kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 weeks (H2.0+W6), Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 2.0kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 and 9weeks (H2.0+W6,9).Data collected were weed cover score, weed dry weight (Kg), plant height (cm), Days to 50 % flowering, number of pods per treatments, and grain yield (Kg/plot). Results obtained from this experiment shows that treatment withpendimethalinPre-emergence Herbicides at rate 2.0kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 and 9weeks (H2.0+W6,9) gives (p<0.05) the lowest weed cover score and weed dry weight, taller plants heights, higher number of pods which translated into higher grain yield for the treatment. The use of Pre-emergence Herbicides at rate 2.0kg a.i/ha + Hoe weeding at 6 and 9weeks (H2.0+W6,9) could be recommended for better growth and yield of soybean.