Maize, the most widespread tillage crop in Romania, is known as being very sensible to weeding, particularly during the first stages of vegetation. A problem-weed in maize crops is the species Xanhium strumarium L., popularly called mouse ear or thistle. In this paper we aim at establishing some of the most efficient pre-emergent herbicides in the control of this species in the grain maize crops. Research was carried out during the years 2005 and 2006, at the Didactic Station of the Agricultural and Veterinary University of the Banat in Timişoara (România) on a cambic chernozem. The trial was mono-factorial with four replications. The best results in the control of the species Xanhium strumarium L. were ensured by the herbicide Cambio-2.5 l/ha (96.80% in 2005 and 95.20% in 2006), closely followed by the herbicide Premiant-1l/ha. None of the tested products resulted in phyto-toxicity symptoms in the cultivated maize hybrid, Florencia (P 3573 ). Grain maize yields were visibly influenced on one hand by some of the performances of the herbicides in the control of the mouse ear and on the other hand by the climate conditions of the two years, the year 2006 being more favourable for maize crop.

maize; weeds; Xanhium strumarium L., control; herbicide; crop

Presentation: oral