Vol. 15—1961 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

212.
Chemical We..JdControl
in Swect Corn
.'. ,~
,. , Swect corn has,iooen weeded on a commercial basis for many years
: with 'the chQJlj.¢als J
2,4-D or watersoJuble dinitro.\Under most
conditions either of these chemlca,ls- do a satisfact'ory job'although
. sarie times weeds are not controlled or crops injured.. More foolproof
chemicals such as Atrazine and Simazine have lately been used in the
weeding of corn. 'The experiment reported in this paper' is' a '
. continuation of work started years ago.
Procedure
,
'
Tho variety NK 199 was seeded May 27, '1960. Pre-emergence
treatments :,were apPlied 5 days' atter ,seeding and emergenoe treatments
10 days after stloo.:lng. ,Individual plots were 36 feet long and 3 feet
wide. Treatments were randomized in each of 8 blocks.
, ··1
The chemicals were applied with a small sprayer over the row for
a width of 12 inches. Cultivation controlled the weeds between the
rows. The growing season was cooler than average and rainfall below
normal. 1Jl estimate of weed control was made August 10 on a basis of
1 to 10, 1 being most desirable and 10 being least desirable. Corn
harvest was completed August 29.
Results
The results are presented in Table I. All chemicals gave highly
significant increases in weed control as compared to the untreated
check. The best weed control was in plots treated with Simazin,
either liquid or granular, Atrazine, Diuron, Neburon, Benzac, or tho
higher rates of Fenac and li.miben.
Stand was significantly reduced by only one chemical Niagara
5996 applied at a rate of 4 Ibs. per acre.
Yields as measured by nwnber and weight of marketable ears were
with one exception not reduced by the chemicals applied. The chemical
Benzac 1281 did greatly reduce the yield. The table shows that some
rates of a number of chemicals did significantly increase the yield
of corn.
1 Associate Professor of Olericulture, Dept. of Horticulture, College
of Agriculture and Experiment Station, Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, Pa.