Efficacy assessment of new generation post emergence herbicides in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jefa.2026.21.1.20Keywords:
Pigeonpea, weed management, weed density, weed control efficiency (WCE), weed index, post emergence herbicide, incremental benefit cost ratio.Abstract
A field experiment was conducted consecutively for three years during kharif 2019-20 to 2021-22 at the Nutri Crops Research Station , OUAT, Berhampur to identify suitable post emergence herbicide and optimize the weed management module for pigeonpea. Altogether twelve treatments were taken with different new generation post emergence herbicides in varying combination and doses including weed free and weedy checks. Pendimethalin 30EC @ 0.75 kg ai ha-1 as pre-emergence at 2-3 DAS and one hand weeding and interculture at 50 DAS, common for all treatments excluding T1 (weedy check) and T2 (weed free check), in addition to post emergence herbicides as per treatment at 20 DAS. The trial was laid out in Randomised Block Design with three replications. The growth and yield attributes of pigeonpea were significantly affected by weed management practices. Among the herbicide treatments, the lowest weed density and weed dry matter (WDM) along with the highest Weed Control Efficiency (WCE) at 40 and 60 DAS were recorded in T6 (propaquizafop 2.5% + imazethapyr 3.75% w/w @ 50 + 75 = 125 g ai ha-1 at 20-25 DAS), which was very close to the weed free check. This treatment also recorded maximum plant height (177.2 cm) and yield attributes like number of primary fruiting branch plant-1 (12.8), number of effective pod plant-1 (135.3), number of seed pod-1 (3.62) and ultimately the highest grain yield (1470 kg ha-1). The maximum net monetary return (Rs. 53484/-), maximum incremental benefit cost ratio (6.01) and the highest B:C ratio (2.52) were registered with this treatment. The grain yield was found 244 per cent as compared to the weedy check (427 kg ha-1). Hence, application of pendimethalin 30 EC @ 0.75 kg ai ha-1 (pre-emergence) at 2-3 DAS followed by propaquizalop 2.5 per cent + imazethapyr 3.75 per cent w/w @ 50+75=125g ai ha-1 at 20 DAS, one hand weeding and interculture at 50 DAS was found to be the most efficient weed management module in medium duration pigeonpea.
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References
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