Effect of Integrated Weed Management Practices on Growth, Physiology and Yield of Direct Sown Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.)

Abstract

To determine “Effect of integrated weed management practices in direct sown finger millet”. The field experiment was conducted during rabi 2022 at South Farm, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore. The soil of the experimental field was sandy clay loam in texture, pH 6.9, level of organic content (0.37%),  available N (336 kg ha-1), P (91 kg ha-1) and K (261 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized block design. T1 (PE pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha-1 8 DAS + Hand weeding (HW) @ 35 DAS), T2 (PoE 2,4-D @ 2 kg ha-1 40 DAS + Hand weeding (HW) @ 35 DAS), T3 (PE pretilachlor @ 0.75 kg ha-1 8 DAS + Hand weeding (HW) @ 35 DAS), T4 (PoE 2,4-D @ 2 kg ha-1 40 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding (TWHW) @ 30 DAS), T5 (PE pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha-1 8 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding @ 30 DAS), T6 (PE pretilachlor @ 0.75 kg ha-1 8 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding (TWHW) @ 30 DAS), T7 (Hand weeding (HW) @ 25 and 40 DAS), T8 (Twin wheel hoe weeding (TWHW) @ 25 and 40 DAS), T9 (Hand weeding (HW) @ 25 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding (TWHW) @ 40 DAS), T10 (Unweeded control). The result shows that the weed control practices significantly decreases weeds also higher control of weed infestation was observed in PE pretilachlor @ 0.75kg ha-1 8 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding @ 30 DAS. The maximum dry matter production, CGR, RGR, NPK uptake and grain yield (2368 kg ha-1) were also found higher in PE pretilachlor @ 0.75kg ha-1 8 DAS + Twin wheel hoe weeding @ 30 DAS. From this study it is concluded that application of pre emergence herbicide pretilachlor along with twin wheel hoe weeder increases the crop growth and yield.