Effect of integrated weed management on quality seed production in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

The experiment entitled, “Effect of integrated weed management on quality seed production in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)” was carried out during summer 2021 at All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (Maharashtra). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. There were eleven treatments viz., T1: Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 Kg a.i./ha, T2: Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 Kg a.i./ha + one hand weeding 25 DAS, T3: Post emergence application of Quizalofop @ 40 g/ha 25 days after sowing, T4: Post emergence application of Quizalofop @ 40 g/ha 25 days after sowing + one hand weeding 45 DAS, T5: Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 Kg a.i./ha + T3, T6: T5 + one hand weeding 45 DAS, T7:Mulching with silver black polyethylene, T8: Organic mulch, T9: Hand weeding 25 and 45 DAS, T10: Weed free check, T11: Weedy check (Control). Among all the treatments, significantly maximum seed yield per vine (35 g), seed yield per plot (700.00 g), seed yield per ha (466.65 kg) and seed vigour index II (16864.7) were found in treatment T7 - Mulching with silver black polyethylene followed by T10- Weed free check. However, the highest 1000 seed weight (27.18 g), higher speed of germination (28.95) and maximum germination percentage (90.00%), and higher seed vigour index I (2415.00) were recorded in treatment T7 - Mulching with silver black polyethylene which were at par with the treatment T10 - Weed free check. As there were no weeds in T10 - Weed free check treatment since the weeds were being removed and this treatment was kept weed free throughout the growing period of crop. The number of weeds (m-2) at 30, 60, 90 days after sowing were found lowest in T7 - Mulching with silver black polyethylene which was at par with the treatment T6 -Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha + T4.However, T11-Weedy check was found highest number of weeds per m2 at 30, 60 and 90 DAS during summer. Lowest weed index (-20.90%) recorded in T7 - Mulching with silver black polyethylene followed by treatment T6 - Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 Kg a.i./ha + Post emergence application of Quizalofop-ethyl @ 40 g/ha 25 days after sowing + one hand weeding 45 DAS (3.29%). Cent per cent weed control efficiency was recorded in treatment T10 - Weed free check at 30, 60 and 90 DAS as the weeds were removed frequently and this treatment was kept weed free throughout the growing period of crop. Significantly higher weed control efficiency at 30, 60 and 90 DAS was observed in treatment T7 - Mulching with silver black polyethylene (89.73%, 86.81% and 83.72%, respectively) followed by the treatment T6 - Pre emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 Kg a.i./ha + Post emergence application of Quizalofop-ethyl @ 40 g/ha 25 days after sowing + one hand weeding 45 DAS (88.69%, 85.63% and 81.78%, respectively).