Weed dynamics, growth pattern, yield and economics of linseed under different weed management practices

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2016–17 and 2017–18 at Research cum Instructional Farm of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh to study weed dynamics, growth pattern, yield and economics of Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) under weed management practices. The experiment consisted ten treatments replicated thrice using the linseed variety ‘RLC-92’.The plant population, plant height and number of branches varied significantly among different weed management treatments. Linseed seed yield was significantly higher (1.94 t/ha) with hand weeding twice, which was statistically at par with isoproturon + metsulfuron-methyl (1 kg + 4 g/ha) post-emergence treatment (PoE), metsulfuron-methyl (4 g/ha) PoE and pendimethalin (1 kg/ha) pre-emergence treatment (PE) followed by (fb) metsulfuron-methyl (4 g/ha) PoE. Density and biomass of weed was the lowest and weed control efficiency was higher with hand weeding twice 21 and 45 days after seeding (DAS) followed by isoproturon + metsulfuron-methyl (1 kg + 4 g/ha) PoE and metsulfuron-methyl (4 g/ha) PoE. The gross return was maximum with hand weeding twice 21 and 45 DAS while net return was maximum with isoproturon + metsulfuron-methyl (1 kg + 4 g/ha) PoE. The highest benefit: cost ratio (3.91) was recorded with metsulfuron-methyl (4 g/ha) PoE due to higher seed yield coupled with lower cost of chemical treatment.