Enhancing productivity, nutrient uptake and weed pressure reduction in short-duration pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) through optimum sowing window and integrated weed management
摘要
Weed possess a significant challenge to the agro-ecosystem in India, especially in wider spaced upland kharif crop like pigeon pea. It causes competition for nutrient, space, moisture and light, also the human efficiency, yields and economic loss. A field experiment was conducted during kharif season at Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi to evaluate the sowing window and integrated weed control methods on weed control efficiency, yield and nutrient uptake of short duration pigeon pea. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three sowing dates, viz. D1-June 11, D2-June 25 and D3-July 09 in main plot treatments. Six weed management practices were taken as subplot treatments viz., W1-Weedy check, W2-Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha−1 (PE) fb one HW at 25 DAS, W3-Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha−1 fb Imazethapyr 100 g ha−1 (PoE) at 25 DAS (+ 2–3 days), W4-Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha−1 fb Imazethapyr 100 g ha−1 at 25 DAS fb one HW at 50 DAS, W5-Imazethapyr 100 g ha−1 at 25 DAS fb one HW at 50 DAS and W6-Two hand weedings at 25 and 50 DAS was conducted with the UPAS-120 variety of pigeon pea. Maximum weed density of 24.03% and 11.90% and weed biomass of 23.19% and 11.90% were recorded with July 09 and June 25 sowing dates, respectively, compared to early sowing on June 11. With the application of Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha−1 fb Imazethapyr 100 g ha−1 at 25 DAS fb one HW at 50 DAS gave higher WCE than the other treatments. Yield and yield attributes of pigeon pea were higher in June 11 sowing with a grain yield of 14.6 q ha−1 and, 13.8 q ha−1 in weed management, HW at 25 and 50 DAS which was statistically similar with 13.5 q ha−1 of grain yield on spraying Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha−1 fb Imazethapyr 100 g ha−1 at 25 DAS fb one HW at 50 DAS.