Akinola and Salami Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 6 (1), pp. 028-040, January 2016. ISSN: 2276-7770 Research Paper Manuscript Number: 111215158 (DOI http://doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2016.1.111215158) Effect of Herbicides Application on the Management of Tithonia in Maize (Zea mays) Akinola B.A.1* and Salami A.E.1 1Department of Crop Soil and Environmental Sciences, Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti, P.O. Box 854, Akure, Nigeria. Abstract The influence of three types of herbicide mixtures (atrazine at 2 kg a.i./ha, paraquat at 2 litres (0.5 kg) ai/ha and their mixture) applied either at planting or 2 weeks after planting (WAP), were evaluated for Tithonia management. The experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria (April-September, 2009 and May-August 2010). Teaching and Research Farm, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Nigeria (May-August 2010) and Agricultural Machines and Machinery Training Centre, Akure, Nigeria (July-October, 2009).The experiments were laid down in a split plot design and replicated three times to give 18 experimental units. Data collected on growth parameters and yield of maize as well as Tithonia density and biomass were subjected to ANOVA and means separated by DMRT Atrazine and resulted in significantly higher yields of 2.54 relative to the mixture of atrazine and paraquat and paraquat which had 2.44 and 0.71 t/ha respectively. The highest gross margin (GM) of N149, 200.00 was obtained from the application of atrazine at 2 WAP. The highest Marginal Rate of Returns of 2.81 was obtained from the application of atrazine at 2 WAP. The relative abundance of Tithonia at 8-12 WAP was between 96.8 and 99.5% and this indicates that the plant could be a dominant weed in a farmland. Key words: ANOVA, herbicide, maize, gross margin. Return to Content View [Full Article – PDF] [Full Article – HTML] [Full Article – EPUB] Post-review Rundown View/get involved, click [Post-Review Page] References Ademiluyi BO, Ajewole TO (2013). Study on the Effects of Fresh Shoot Biomass on Tithonia diversifolia on Germination, Growth and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 3(4):1005-1011. Adesina GO, Olabode OS, Ogunyemi S. (2007). Effect of Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia (Helms) A. Gray) Interference in the Performance of Melon (Citruluslanatus Thumb. Mansfd). Agric. J., 2: 23-26. Adeyemi, OR, Smith MAK and Ojeniyi SO (2008). Effect of Land Preparation Techniques on Weed Control Effectiveness in Okra (Abelmoscus esculentus L.) Moench. Nigerian Journal of Weed Science, 21: 72-83. Agbede TM, Afolabi LA. (2014). Soil Fertility Improvement Potentials of Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) and Siam Weed (Chromolaena odorata) using Okra as Test Crop. Archives of Applied Science Research, 6(2): 42 – 47. Agboola DA, Idowu WF and Kadiri M (2006). Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of the Mexican Sunflower, Tithonia diversifolia (Compositae) in Nigeria. Africa Revista de Biologia Tropical, JunioUniversity de Costa Rica, 54: 395-402. Akobundu IO and Agyakwa CW (1998). A Handbook of West African Weeds International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), African Book Publishers. Ibadan, Nigeria1-527. Chukwuka KS, Uka UN, Omotayo OE (2014). Interaction of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus(L.) Moench) and (Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl) A. Gray) in an Agroecosystem. Journal of Agronomy, 13: 187-192. Chukwuka, K.S., Ogunyemi S. and Fawole I. 2007.Ecological distribution of Tithoniadiversifolia (Hemsl). A. Gray-a new exotic weed in Nigeria. Journal of Biological Sciences, 7: 709-719. Ilhan K, Seyda ZC, Reyyan Y and Ibrahim HY (2010). Effect of Atrazine Applications on Weed Growth and Yield at Different Irrigation Levels in Corn (Zea mays) Growth. African Journal of Biotechnology, 9(40):6695-6700. Kopsell D (2012). Effect of Atrazine on Sweet Corn. Syngenta Media Centre online. Liasu MO and Ogunkunle ATJ (2007). Secondary Thickening Pattern of the Stem in Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl) A. Gray. Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, 1(1): 21-25. Olabode OS, Adetunji IA and Ogunyemi S (1999). Effects of Interference of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl) A. Gray on Performance of Maize in Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 1(2): 279-283. Sarabi V, Ghanbari A, RashedMohassel MH, NassiriMahallati M, Rastgoo M (2014). Evaluation of Broadleaf Weeds Control with Some Post-emergence Herbicides in Maize (Zea mays L.) in Iran International Journal of Plant Production, 8(1):173-184.