Field experiments were conducted in two consecutive seasons i.e. kharif 2013 and rabi 2013-14 to evaluate the bended leaf and sheath blight, maydis and Turcicum leaf blight of maize at Research Farm, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Jhabua. The experiments was laid out in randomized block design with three replications of seven treatments viz., T1= Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (40+680 g/ml a.i./ha), T2= Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (50+850 g/ml a.i./ha), T3= Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha), T4= Zineb 75% WP (937.5 g a.i./ha), T5= Hexaconazole 5% EC (50 ml a.i./ha), T6= Mancozeb 75 % WP (1125 g a.i./ha) and T7= untreated control. During kharif 2013, application of Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) dose recorded minimum bended leaf and sheath blight (BLBD) incidence of 5.29 per cent disease index (PDI) at 7th days and 5.50 PDI at 15th days of 1st spray. Similarly, minimum incidence of maydis leaf blight (6.0 PDI at 7th and 15 days) was recorded in Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) followed by Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (50+850 g/ml a.i./ha). Application of Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) dose recorded minimum turcicum leaf blight (TLB) incidence of 7.20 PDI at 7th days and 7.73 PDI at 15th days of 1st spray. Similarly during rabi 2013-14, application of Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) dose recorded minimum PDI for BLBD was 5.0 and 5.82 at 7th and 15th days of 1st spray, respectively. Further results revealed that minimum PDI (4.80 and 5.0 at 7th and 15 of 1st spray) was recorded for maydis leaf blight under Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha). Minimum PDI (4.67 and 5.0 at 7th and 15 of 1st spray) for TLB was also observed in Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) followed by Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (50+850 g/ml a.i./ha). Higher growth attributes (plant height and dry matter/plant) and yield attributes (cob weight and grain weight/cob) were recorded with the application of Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha). The highest grain yield (26.81 q/ha), stover yield (39.19 q/ha) and biological yield (66.0 q/ha) were observed under Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) which was at par with Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+850 g/ml a.i./ha) and significantly superior to rest of treatments. Maximum gross return of Rs. 45,887, net returns of Rs. 31,437 and B:C ratio of 2.18 were also noted under Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+1020 g/ml a.i./ha) followed by Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% WP (60+850 g/ml a.i./ha).

Keyword: BLBD; Economics; Growth attributes; Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68%; PDI; TLB; Yield;