Effect of integrated weed management practices on weed biomass, yield and economics of okra(Abelmoschus esculentus)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rainy season of 2011 at Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), India to study the effect of integrated weed management practices on growth, seed yield and economics of okra (Abelmoschusesculentus L. Moench) under the soil of sandy clay loam. In the experimental field Cyperus rotundus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Commelina benghalensis, Digera arvensis, Phyllanthus niruri and Cynodon dactyl on were found as dominant weed flora and contributes about 90% of the total weed flora. Minimum weed dry weight was recorded under two hand weeding (HW) at 15 and 30 days after sowing (DAS) at all the growth stages, followed by under grass mulch (5 t ha−1) one week after germination. Maximum number of weed population was recorded under weedy check. Weed control efficiency ranged from 63.93 to 97.67% at 60 DAS. The highest weed control efficiency was observed in two HW at 15 and 30 DAS (97.67%), followed by grass mulch 5 t ha −1 (97.56%), pendimethalin 1 kg ha −1 pre-emergence (PE) + one HW at 30 DAS (90.34%) and pendimethalin 1 kg ha−1 PE (89.47%). The highest seed yield and stalk yield of okra was recorded from the weed free plot (1102 and 6056 kg ha−1, respectively), which was on par with grass mulch5 tha−1 (1046 and 5935 kg ha). However benefit: cost ratio was higher (7.00) in grass mulch 5 t ha−1, followed by two HW at 15 and 30 DAS (6.47).