Efficiency of herbicide treatment for productivity of the maize hybrid ‘Zernogradsky 354 MV’

The current paper has presented the study results of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ as elements of maize cultivation technology in the southern part of the Rostov region. Field trials were carried out in 2019–2021. The object of the study was the maize hybrid ‘Zernogradsky 354MV’, (included in the State List of Breeding Achievements in the 6th (North Caucasian) region in 2010). The purpose of the study was an economic and agronomic estimation of the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ in the southern part of the Rostov region when cultivating maize for grain. The soil of the experimental plot was ordinary calcareous heavy loamy blackearth (chernozem) on loess-like loams. The content of humus in the arable layer was 3.36 %, pH was 7.0, P2O5 was 24.4; K2O was 360 mg/kg of soil. The hydrothermal coefficient during a vegetation period of maize was 0.62 in 2019; 0.70 in 2020; 0.86 in 2021. Thus, during the study years, the humidification conditions were very arid. As a result of the conducted study, it was revealed that the application of herbicides ‘Meister Power MD’; ‘Remus VDG’; ‘Dianat, VR’; ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ had a positive effect on the phytosanitary conditions of maize sowing. The weediness reduced on 95.3–97.1 %. The grain productivity increase due to the application of herbicides was significant and amounted to 0.28– 0.53 t/ha or 17.4–24.2 % compared with that of the control. The cost of the herbicide ‘Meister Power, MD’ (5670 rubles per hectare norm) did not contribute to its high payback. The maximum payback was identified in the variant with the complex application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ + ‘Dianat, BP’ and amounted to 5.50 rubles/rub. The application of herbicides ‘Remus, VDG’ and ‘Sekator Turbo, MD’ was also cost-effective with a payback of 5.36 and 5.45 rubles/rub., respectively.