Paper · 2025 · International Journal of Life Science and Agriculture Research

Enhancing Maize Productivity in Nepal's Terai Region through Integrated Weed Management Practices

Deepika Timsina; Santosh Marahatta; Shrawan Kumar Sah

11
claims
22
verbatim quotes
0
citations
3
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by

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.

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 11

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Silver-black polythene mulch significantly enhanced maize growth parameters.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
silver-black polythene mulche0
Outcome
growth parameterse0
Direction
enhancede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“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)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 779–944 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Silver-black polythene mulch enhanced grain yield to 4,537.5 kg ha⁻¹.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
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.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“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)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 779–944 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Silver-black polythene mulch enhanced stover yield to 6,500 kg ha⁻¹.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
silver-black polythene mulche0
Outcome
stover yielde0
Direction
enhancede0
Value
6,500 kg ha⁻¹e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“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)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 779–944 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mulching facilitated earlier maize tasseling at 73.19 DAS.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
mulchinge0
Outcome
tasselinge0
Direction
earliere0
Value
73.19 DASe0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 959–1033 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mulching facilitated earlier maize silking at 85.31 DAS.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
mulchinge0
Outcome
silkinge0
Direction
earliere0
Value
85.31 DASe0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 959–1033 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mulching improved soil moisture retention.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
mulchinge0
Outcome
soil moisture retentione0
Direction
improvinge0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS), while also improving soil moisture retention, and weed suppression.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 959–1102 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mulching improved weed suppression.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
mulchinge0
Interactor
weede0weed
Outcome
weed suppressione0
Direction
improvinge0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“mulching facilitated earlier tasseling (73.19 DAS) and silking (85.31 DAS), while also improving soil moisture retention, and weed suppression.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 959–1102 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Clear polythene mulch benefited maize growth and yield.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
cleare0
Outcome
growth and yielde0
Direction
beneficiale0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Both clear and black polythene mulches had beneficial effects on growth and yield.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1103–1185 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Black polythene mulch benefited maize growth and yield.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
Treatment
blacke0
Outcome
growth and yielde0
Direction
beneficiale0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Both clear and black polythene mulches had beneficial effects on growth and yield.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1103–1185 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Lantana camara mulch produced grain yield similar to clear polythene mulch.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
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.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1197–1327 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Atrazine plus hand weeding produced grain yield similar to clear polythene mulch.

Taxon
MaizeZea mayst0
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.

Zea mays
Zea mays · TaxonAkwugo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1197–1327 · show in text ↑
t0

“Maize”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 10–15 · show in text ↑

atrazine · yield · Zea mays (maize)Results differ

240 papers: 205 positive, 35 negative or no effect

34 papers in the same direction as this paper · 205 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

236 papers more in this group

See all 240 papers →

Lantana camara · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results

5 papers: 3 positive, 2 negative or no effect

1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 3 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

1 paper more in this group

See all 5 papers →

poly(ethylene) · growth · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results

8 papers: 7 positive, 1 negative or no effect

6 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
  2. positive
  3. positive

4 papers more in this group

See all 8 papers →

poly(ethylene) · yield · Zea mays (maize)Results agree

10 papers: 10 positive, 0 negative or no effect

9 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

6 papers more in this group

See all 10 papers →

mulching · phenology · Zea mays (maize)Results differ

16 papers: 16 positive, 0 negative or no effect

15 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

12 papers more in this group

See all 16 papers →

mulching · weed · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results

55 papers: 48 positive, 7 negative or no effect

47 papers in the same direction as this paper · 5 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. negative
  2. no effect
  3. negative

51 papers more in this group

See all 55 papers →

mulching · soil: physics · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results

112 papers: 97 positive, 15 negative or no effect

96 papers in the same direction as this paper · 13 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. negative
  2. negative
  3. no effect

108 papers more in this group

See all 112 papers →

mulching · growth · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results

140 papers: 122 positive, 18 negative or no effect

121 papers in the same direction as this paper · 16 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. negative
  2. negative
  3. no effect

136 papers more in this group

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.