Effects of Integrated Weed Management on Forage Corn (Zea mays) in Miyaneh Region, Iran

As factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with four replications was carried out to evaluate the effects of weed management on yield and components yield of corn silage in Miyaneh region in the summer of 2009. Treatments were cultivation (with and without), herbicides (Foramsulfuron, Nicosulfuron and 2,4-D〣) and without controlling weed as control treatment. The results indicated that application of herbicides significantly influenced weeds dry weight at 1% probability level. The highest and lowest percentage loss of weeds dry weight were related to Foramsulfuron and 2,4-D〣, respectively, which were significantly different from other herbicides (Nicosulfuron). Cultivation was significantly effective on weeds dry weight as compared with non cultivation treatment. The results, also, indicated that cultivation and herbicides significantly affected increasing the biological and grain yields compared to non weeds control treatment. The highest biological and grain yield increase were obtained by 59.1% and 57.2% due to cultivation treatment and by 51.8% and 58.2% due to Foramsulfuron herbicide application, respectively. The lowest biological and grain yield was obtained by application of Nicosulfuron herbicide which was statistically comparable to that of 2,4-D〣 herbicide treatment.