Production potential and economics feasibility of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) as influenced by integrated weed management practices under Terai rgion of West Bengal

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 at the Instructional Farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, and West Bengal. The experimental field was laid out in Randomized Block Design, having seven (7) treatments with three (3) replications. The treatments consisted of preemergence application of fluchloralin @ 2.22 lit. ha -1 (T 1 ), post-emergence of application of glyphosate @ 2.50 lit. ha -1 (T 2 ), pre-emergence application of fluchloralin @ 2.22 lit. ha -1 + hand weeding (once at 35 DAS) (T 3 ), hoeing (Twice) 20 and 35 DAS (T 4 ), hand weeding (twice) at 20 and 35 DAS (T 5 ), pre-emergence application of fluchloralin @ 2.22 lit. ha -1 combined with postemergence application of glyphosate @ 2.50 lit. ha -1 (T 6 ) and unwedded control (T 7 ). The economics of buckwheat under seven varying weed management practices showed that the hand weeding twice at 20 and 35 DAS recorded highest net income, benefit cost ratio and lowest cost of producing per kg of seed over other weed control practices, this is environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically viable. Among the weed management practices pre-emergence application of fluchloralin @ 2.22 lit. ha -1 and post-emergence application of glyphosate @ 2.50 lit. ha -1 at 20 DAS produced higher yield attributes and yield over unwedded control whereas pre-emergence application of fluchloralin @ 2.22 lit. ha -1 followed by one hand weeding at 35 DAS produced seed yield comparable to hand weeding treatment.