Effect of row spacing and cover crops on weeds and yield of maize (TWC647)

The aim of this study was conducted to investigate the effect of row spacing and cover crops on weed control and yield and components yield of corn (TWC647). This experiment was carried out factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in the farm of Moghan Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Station in 2021. The treatments consisted of row spacing at two levels (75 and 65 cm), cover crops at five levels (rye, hairy vetch, clover, and no cover crop and Maister power herbicide). In the condition without cover crop, the highest total biomass of weeds was obtained at the row spacing of 75 cm. Also, the highest biomass of cover crops in the row spacing of 75 cm was obtained from rye cover crop. The number of grain rows per ear, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index were affected by the interaction row spacing ×cover crop; So that the maximum number of grain rows per ear was observed at a row spacing of 75 cm and clover. The highest biological yield of corn was obtained at the row spacing of 65 cm and rye cover crop. highest grain yield (8.05 tons per hectare) was obtained from the row spacing of 65 cm and the rye cover crop treatment and also the highest control percentage of the total biomass of corn weeds (47.47%) was related to the rye cover crop and row spacing of 65 cm.