Nanocomposite Based Slow Release Formulation of Atrazine Herbicide to Control Striga asiatica in Sugarcane

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on synthesis and characterization of graphene oxide newlinebased nanocomposite loaded with atrazine (NCA). Flake like structure of nanocomposite newlineobserved through SEM and the particle size was 255 nm analysed by particle size analyzer. newlineThe releasing efficiency of nanocomposites was analyzed in water and soil. The slow release newlineof atrazine was found with NCA compared to free atrazine. newlineThe experiments were conducted to study the effect of applied NCA on the newlineemergence and growth of weeds in sugarcane during 2018 to 2019 under pot and field newlineconditions. The pot experiment was laid out in CRD with treatments consisting of two newlinedifferent herbicides viz., NCA and artazine with different time of application (80, 95 and 110 newlineDAP). Application of NCA at 1.25 kg a.i./ha at 95 DAP delayed the Striga emergence by 15 newlinedays than commercial atrazine herbicide and 30 days than the weedy check. In field study, newlinethe experiment was laid out in RBD with treatments consisting of three different herbicides newlineviz., NCA, artazine, diuron with different time of application (80, 95 and 110 DAP) which newlineare compared with oxyfluorfen at 0.25 kg a.i./ha at 90 DAP fb 2,4-D at 2 kg a.i./ha and newlinemulching at 140 DAP. NCA at 1.25 kg a.i./ha applied at 95 DAP delayed the Striga newlineemergence by 35 and 31 more days than weedy check in both the experimental sites. NCA newlineapplied at 95 DAP also recorded significantly higher growth and yield parameters and which newlinewas more productive (160.8 and 168.4 t ha-1) and profitable (` 3,61,334 and ` 3,83,870 ha-1) newlinein Yaragatti and Salahalli village, respectively. Soil enzyme activities viz., dehydrogenase, newlineurease and phosphatase get decreased by the application of herbicides. Among the herbicides newlinehigher soil enzyme activity was recorded with NCA in both pot and field studies. newline