Abstract

Dumisani V. Bulawayo

This study was designed to evaluate the implications of using alternative weed control options on viability, production and productivity of maize crop in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 451 randomly selected smallholder farmers. Gross margins, regression and correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. About 72% of farmers who grew maize practiced manual weed control while 40% used integrated modern and manual weed control. Results revealed that viability was higher in maize subjected to integrated (119,664.38 naira/ha) than in manual (4211.63 naira/ha) weed control. Seed rate (β = 0.155), variety (β = 0.283), herbicides (β = 0.593), fertilizer (β = 0.100) and labour (β = 0.535) were positive and significant determinants of maize output with a coefficient of determination of 0.823. Productivity of seed, labour, and fertilizer were higher under integrated weed control option than manual weed control. There was a positive association between use of herbicides and resource productivity (seed quantity (r = 0.607), herbicides (r = 0.526), fertilizer (r = 0.347) and labour (r = 0.770). Farmers were therefore encouraged adopt herbicides to improve viability, production and resource productivity. There was need for further research to identify intervention areas for inducing adoption of herbicides by farmers.