Effect of Chemical and Hand weeding Control Methods on Growth Yield Components and Yield of Field Pea in Bale Highlands, Southeastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Afield experiment was conducted during bona season of 2019/2020 and 2021/2022 at two location Agarfa sub-site and Sinana on station to evaluate the integrated effects of pre-emergence herbicides and hand-weeding on weed control, yield components, yield, and their economic feasibility for cost effective weed control in field pea. The treatments consisted of three dual gold rates (1, 2 and 3 liter per hectares) and three times (0, 1and 2 times hand weeding). The experiment was laid out in a factorial arrangement of RBCD with three replications. Results indicated that Dual-gold 2 liter per hectare supplemented with hand weeding at 25-30 days after crop emergence resulted in the highest grain yield and economic benefit. However, in case labor is constraint and Pre-emergence herbicide is timely available, pre emergence application of Dual-gold 2 liter per hectare should be the alternative to prevent the yield loss and to ensure maximum net benefit for the producers. Thus, the result of this study, it can be tentatively concluded that herbicides application is an integral part of farmer’s pulse crop management in modern agricultural systems.