EFFECT OF WEED CONTROL ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum L.) IN SOKOTO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract A field experiment was conducted during rainingseason 2017-2018, at the Teaching and Research Farm of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto,Sokoto lies on latitude 13° 01’N; and longitude 5° 15’E and at an altitude of about 350m above sea level with minimum and maximum temperature of 15oC and 40oC respectively (Singh et al., 2011) and 645mm of rainfall per annum (Sokoto Energy Research Centre, SERC) to evaluate the effect of weed management on growth, yield and yield attributes of pearl millet(Pennisetum glaucum L.). The experiment was laid out in RCBD with eight (8) treatments and three replications. The treatments consist of two different pre-emergence herbicides at three rates each, namely,Atrazine and Metolachlor applied at the rates of 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 kg a.i./ha, hoe weeding at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) and a control plot (weedy check). The result of the experiment shows that the effect of weed control on plant height at 6, 9 and 12 WAS (cm), number of tillers plant-1, weed density (m-2), weed dry weight (kg/ha), weed control efficiency (%), panicle length (cm), days to 50% heading and grain yield (kg/ha) were significant, while non-significant effects were recorded with plant height at 3 WAS and 1000 grains weight (g). Among different herbicides rates, pre- emergence application of metolachlor at 1.6 kg a.i/ha followed by supplementary hoe weeding at 6 WAS recorded lowest weed densityof 24/m2 during harvest, lowest weed dry weight (60.7, 602.4, and 330.57 kg/ha at 3, 6 WAS