Sensitivity Assessment of Varieties, Effectiveness of Weed Control by Selected Herbicides, and Infection of the Fusarium in Maize (Zea mays L.) Cultivation

Abstract

The amount of maize yield depends on many factors. Among them, plant health plays a significant role. Herbicide selectivity (of mesotrione, 2,4-D, and bromoxynil) for different maize varieties was assessed in greenhouse experiments. The effectiveness of herbicides (MCPA, 2,4-D + dicamba) and spraying mixture of the herbicide MCPA with mepiquat chloride was tested on Chenopodium album L. and self-seeding winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). The genetic distance between selected maize varieties and species composition of pathogens of the genus Fusarium isolated from the seeds of the discussed crop were examined. Research results indicated that individual herbicides differed in the selectivity in relation to maize, which depended on the crop variety. The selected herbicides showed high efficacy against the plants used in the experiment. The addition of mepiquat chloride to the composition of the spraying liquid did not affect the level of weed control. No relationship was found between the genetic distance of maize varieties and their sensitivity to selected herbicides. The presence of Fusarium subglutinans, Fusarium proliferatum, and Fusarium verticillioides was found in the samples of maize varieties.