Abstract
Weeds pose a major challenge to crop productivity, significantly impacting maize (Zea mays L.), which is Nepal’s second-most important staple crop. Although attainable yield 5.8 t ha⁻¹, the national average is only 3.15 t ha⁻¹, largely due to issues like weed competition that can lead to yield losses of up to 48%. This study, carried out during the winter season at the National Maize Research Program in Rampur, Chitwan, evaluated nine different weed management treatments, weedy check, weed free, green polythene mulching, clear polythene mulching, cowpea co-culture, black polythene mulching, atrazine + one hand weeding @ 30 DAS, silver black polythene mulch and Lantana camara as mulch in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results showed that mulching methods, particularly silver-black polythene mulch, significantly enhanced growth parameters, grain yield (4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹) and stover yield (6,500 kg ha⁻¹). Furthermore, mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS), while also improving soil moisture retention, and weed suppression. Both clear and black polythene mulches had beneficial effects on growth and yield. Similarly, grain yield in Lantana camara as mulch and Atrazine @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + one hand weeding also remain same with clear polythene mulch.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Silver-black polythene mulch significantly improved maize growth parameters.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“mulching methods, particularly silver-black polythene mulch, significantly enhanced growth parameters”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver-black polythene mulch significantly enhanced maize grain yield to 4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹.
- Treatment
- silver-black polythene mulche0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- enhancede0
- Value
- 4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“mulching methods, particularly silver-black polythene mulch, significantly enhanced growth parameters, grain yield (4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹)”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Silver-black polythene mulch significantly enhanced maize stover yield to 6,500 kg ha⁻¹.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“silver-black polythene mulch, significantly enhanced growth parameters, grain yield (4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹) and stover yield (6,500 kg ha⁻¹)”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching advanced maize tasseling to 73.19 DAS.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS)”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching advanced maize silking to 85.31 DAS.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS)”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching improved soil moisture retention.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS), while also improving soil moisture retention”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching improved weed suppression.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“while also improving soil moisture retention, and weed suppression”
e1“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling”
e2“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Clear polythene mulch benefited maize growth and yield.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Both clear and black polythene mulches had beneficial effects on growth and yield”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Black polythene mulch benefited maize growth and yield.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Both clear and black polythene mulches had beneficial effects on growth and yield”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield under Lantana camara mulch was the same as under clear polythene mulch.
- Treatment
- Lantana camara as mulche0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- remain samee0
- Comparator
- clear polythene mulche0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“grain yield in Lantana camara as mulch and Atrazine @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + one hand weeding also remain same with clear polythene mulch”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain yield under atrazine plus hand weeding was the same as under clear polythene mulch.
- Treatment
- Atrazine @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + one hand weedinge0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- remain samee0
- Comparator
- clear polythene mulche0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“grain yield in Lantana camara as mulch and Atrazine @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + one hand weeding also remain same with clear polythene mulch”
e1“maize (Zea mays L.)”
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See all 140 papers →8 of 10 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.