Weed dynamics and productivity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under pre- and post-emergence application of herbicides

Abstract

A field study was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 201113 at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to assess the performance of post-emergence application of quizalofop-ethyl in combination with pre-emergence application of pendimethalin on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The treatments comprised 5 doses of quizalofop-ethyl (50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 g/ha) in combination with pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha, and pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha fol- lowed by (fb) manual weeding. The broad-leaf weeds like Coronopus dedymus, Melilotus officinalis and Chenopo- dium album were dominant. In case of grassy weeds, Phalaris minor was the most dominant weed. Significant re- duction in total weed density and weed dry weight was recorded under application of pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha fb quizalofop-ethyl @ 100150 g/ha and pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha fb manual weeding. Weed-control indices also showed improvement under these treatments. The poor crop-weed competition due to effective control of weeds under these treatments resulted in higher nodulation and yield. Similarly, higher net returns and benefit: cost ratio were recorded in pendimethalin @1.25 kg/ha fb quizalofop-ethyl @ 125 g/ha.