Integrated Weed Management in Minor Millets: A Review

Abstract

Presently, agriculture is facing tremendous problem due to climate change and global warming. To ensure food and nutritional security at national level, there is an immediate need to promote the cultivation of millets as millets are considered climate smart and nature friendly crops because of high nutritive value and can withstand under warm and drought conditions with short life, low external inputs requirement, tolerance to water and temperatures stress. Ten millet crops have been declared as ‘Nutri Cereals’ which include three major millets i.e., pearl millet, sorghum and finger millet; five minor millets i.e. foxtail millet, proso millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet, little millet; and two pseudo millets i.e. kuttu (buckwheat) and amaranthus. Due to sluggish growth in initial phases of life, millets proved relatively poor competitors against weeds. Manual weeding is the most commonly adopted for weed control in millets. But the non-availability of labour and ever-increasing labour wages have compelled the farmers to seek alternate method of weed management. Herbicide use is the most viable method of weed control but their continuous and excessive use is not advisable due to its ill effects on environment and development of herbicide resistance in weeds. Very limited options are available in literature for weed control in minor millets. Thus, integrated weed management practices should be followed on site and time specific basis for effective and efficient weed management in minor millets. For integrated weed management in minor millets, 2-3 times inter-cultivation and 1-2 time hand weeding during initial 25 days after sowing in addition to pre-emergence spray with Isoproturon @ 0.5 -1.0 kg a.i./ha and post emergence spray of 2, 4-D sodium salt @ 0.75-1.0 kg a.i./ha at 20-25 days after sowing should be done for effective weed control.