Efficacy of Some Pre- and Post-Emergence Herbicides for Weed Management and their Effects on Yield and Yield Attributes in Rainy Season Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) Crop

Abstract

Green gram (Vigna radiata L.) is one of the most important and extensively cultivated crops in India. The average productivity of this crop is very low and one of the main reasons is competition from weeds. Yield reduction in green gram due to weed infestation ranges between 30-85%. Thus, effective weed management is an important key factor for enhancing the productivity of green gram. In the present study, a field experiment was conducted duringrainy season of 2022 at the G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to evaluate the effect of eight different herbicides for weed management in green gram genotype Pant mung-6.The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The herbicide treatments consisted of pendimethalin (30% EC) 750 g.a.i/ha,  fenoxprop-p-ethyl (9.3%EC) 67.5g.a.i/ha, fluazifop-p-butyl (13.4%EC) 125 g.a.i/ha, imazethapyr (10%SL) 75g.a.i/ha, propaquizafop (10%EC) 100g.a.i/ha, quizalofop-ethyl (5%EC) 50g.a.i/ha, fluazifop-p-butyl (11.1%) 150 g.a.i/ha +Fomesafen (11.1%EC) 250 g.a.i/ha, and sodium acifluorfen (16.5)%+ clodinafoppropargyl  (8% EC) 80+165 g.a.i./ha. One weedy check and twice hand weeding (at 20 and 45 DAS) were also included in treatment. Major weed species found infesting the crop were C.rotundous, Trianthema portulacastrum, Elusine indica, Digitaria sanguinalis, Digeria arvensis, Celosia argentea, Mollugo pentaphylla and P. niruri. All the herbicide treatments recorded significantly lower weed density than the weedy check. Among the herbicides, pendimethalin (0.75 kg/ha) as pre-emergence, post-emergence application of Imazethapyr (75g/ha) and ready mix product of sodium acifluorfen + clodinafop-propargyl (80+165g/ha) provided excellent weed control with a WCE of more than 85%. Grain yield of mung bean was also highest in these treatments.