Effect of Weed Management on Performance of Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.) and Associated Weeds

Abstract

A study entitled “Effect of weed management on performance of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and associated weeds” was carried out during 2017-18, at BEDF (APEDA) farm, SVPUAT campus, Meerut. The experimental field was uniform and leveled, sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen (171.1 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (16.1 kg ha-1) and potassium (225.2 kg ha-1) with slightly alkaline in reaction (pH 7.82). The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and 10 treatments. The treatments comprised of Control (Weedy check) T1, Weed free T2, one hand weeding 20 DAS T3, two hand weeding 20 and 40 DAS T4, Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence T5, Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence +1 hand weeding 20 DAS T6, Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha Post emergence (20 DAS) T7, Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha 20 DAS + one hand weeding 40 DAS T8, Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha 20 DAS T9 and Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha 20 DAS + one hand weeding 40 DAS T10. Treatments effects was evaluated in terms of weed dynamics growth and yield of chickpea. The predominant weed flora observed in the experimental plot were Avena ludoviciana and Phalaris minor among the grassy weeds, Anagallis arvensis, Chenopodium album and Melilotus indica among broad leaved weeds and Cyperus rotundus among the sedge. The results revealed that the maximum weed control efficiency at 60 and 90 DAS in Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) + one hand weeding (40 DAS) T10 was found at par with Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) T9 and significantly higher than the rest of treatments. The results also revealed that among the different weed management treatments the highest grain yield (27.0 q ha-1) was obtained under weed free treatment T2 followed by (25.2 q ha-1) with the application of Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) + one hand weeding (40 DAS) T10 which were at par (23.4 q ha-1) with the application of Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) T9. The highest total NPK content and uptake by grain and straw found with weed free treatment T2 followed by Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) + one hand weeding (40 DAS) T10 was at par with Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) T9. The results revealed that the highest net monetary return (₹ 106796 ha-1) and B: C ratio (4.36) among all the treatments was obtained with weed free treatment T2 while among herbicides treatments the highest net monetary return (₹ 100579 ha-1) and B:C ratio (4.35) was obtained with Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) + one hand weeding (40 DAS) T10 which was found at par with Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) T9. On the basis of one year experiment it can be concluded that the Pendimethalin 1 kg a.i./ha Pre emergence + Imazethapyr 50 g a.i./ha (20 DAS) found better for higher productivity and profitability of chickpea crop due to non availability of laborers.