Effect of Weed Management Practices on Weed Flora, Yield and Monetary Returns of Transplanted Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) in North West Plain Zone

Abstract

A study entitled “Effect of weed management practices on weed flora, yield and monetary returns of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) in North West plain zone” was carried out during kharif 2023, at CRC farm, SVPUAT campus, Meerut. The experimental field was uniform and leveled, sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen (200.7 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (14.8 kg ha-1) and potassium (195.7 kg ha-1) with slightly alkaline in reaction (pH 7.7). The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and 10 treatments. The treatments comprised of Control (Weedy check) T1, Hand weeding (2) T2, Farmer Practice (1) T3, Pendimethalin@1kg a.i.ha-1 T4, Bispyribac Sodium @ 25g a.i.ha-1 T5, Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT T6, Pendimethalin@1kg a.i.ha-1 + Bispyribac Sodium @ 25g a.i.ha-1 T7, Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT T8, Pretilachlor (750 g a.i/ha) at 3 DAT + Bispyribac Sodium@25g a.i.ha-1 T9 and Pretilachlor (750 g a.i/ha) at 3 DAT + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT T10. Treatments effects were evaluated in terms of weed dynamics growth and yield of rice. The predominant weed flora observed in the experimental plot were Echinochloa colonum (L.) and Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) among the grassy weeds, Echinochloa colona (L.), Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) and Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) among broad leaved weeds Commelina benghalensis, Phyllanthus niruri and Caesulia axillaris and sedges weeds Cyprus iria and Cyprus rotundus. The results revealed that the maximum weed control efficiency at 90 DAT in Pendimethalin @1kg a.i. ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT T8 was found at par with Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Bispyribac Sodium @25g a.i.ha-1 T7 and significantly higher than the rest of treatments. The results also revealed that among the different weed management treatments the highest grain yield (44.6 q ha-1) was obtained under two hand weeding treatment at par (42.4) with the application of Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT. The highest total NPK content and uptake by grain and straw found with two hand weeding treatment at par with the application of Pendimethalin @1kg a.i. ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT was at par with Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Bispyribac Sodium @25g a.i.ha-1. Among herbicides treatments the highest net monetary return (₹ 75562 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.91) was obtained with Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT, which was followed by Pendimethalin @1kg a.i.ha-1 + Bispyribac Sodium @25g a.i.ha-1. On the basis of one year experiment it can be concluded that the Pendimethalin @1kg a.i. ha-1 + Penoxsulam (22 g a.i/ha) at 20 DAT was found better for higher productivity and profitability of rice crop due to non-availability of laborers.