Effect of Imidazolinones Alone and in Combination on Weed Dry Matter Accumulation in Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan L.)

Background: Among pulse crops, pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp] is one of the most important pulse crops of India after chick pea. Among various biotic factors limiting pigeon pea yield, weeds are of prime importance which can causes seed yield losses up to 80 per cent. Therefore, weed management is an important key factor for enhancing the productivity of pigeon pea. Imazethapyr, an herbicide of imidazolinones group has been registered for soybean, groundnut and other legumes. Various trials in different regions were conducted to study the effects of imazethapyr alone or in combination for controlling the weeds in different crops but in pigeon pea limited research were conducted. Therefore, current study aimed to study the effect of imidazolinones alone and in combination on weed dry matter accumulation in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.).Methods: Pre and post emergence application of imidazolinones alone and in combination was done and dry matter accumulation by different types of weeds i.e. grassy, broad leaf and sedges in pigeon pea crop were worked out at different interval of crop span.Result: Among all weed controls treatments, two hoeing at 40 and 70 DAS found most effective to control all kind of weeds. Alone application of pendimethalin was not effective to control sedges. PRE application of imidazolinones was comparatively more effective than POE application. Application of imidazolinones in combination with pendimethalin improves its efficacy to control total weeds than alone application of it. Therefore, PRE application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr @ 1000 + 75 g ha-1 proved to be an effective and a profitable alternative to the existing recommendation (two hoeing at 25 and 45 DAS) of weed control in pigeon pea in Haryana locality.