EFFECTS ON TIME OF ATRAZINE APPLICATION ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) IN SUDAN SAVANNA MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE

Maize (Zea mays L.) occupies third rank among the cereal crops after Wheat and Rice, extensively sown under irrigated and somewhat in rainfed areas of almost all parts of the world. Field experiments was carried out on the effects of atrazine on the growth and yield of maize (Zea mays). The experiment was conducted during the rainy growing season at the Teaching and Research Farm of Kashim Ibrahim University Maiduguri. The geographical location lies within latitude 11°50`34N and longitude 13°c 0`4E, and is characterized by a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The soil of the site is classified as sandy and clay loam soil which is suitable for maize cultivation. The experiment consist of five treatments namely; Atrazine as pre emergence application, Atrazine as post-emergence application, Atrazine as pre and post emergence application (All atrazine was applied at 1.0 Kg a.i./ha), weeding at twice at 3 and 6 WAS and a weedy check these were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three (3) times. Data was recorded on growth, yield and weed parameters. The results of the experiment shows that manual weeding at 3 and 6 WAS consistently gave best results in growth parameters however grain yield of maize was best at all the atrazine treatments together with the manual weeding at 3 and 6 WAS. Weedy check recorded the heaviest weed dry matter.