Planting pattern and weed management practices on the productivity of onion (Allium cepa L.)

Abstract

Weed infestation is one of the main yield limiting factors for onion. The yield as well as nutrient uptake by crop is reduced substantially on account of increased crop weed competition on a high cost input oriented agriculture system. Weed consumes the costly input and thrives to reduce the yield value and profit of the crop if allow to grow. Continuous and imbalanced use of herbicides adversely affects the sustainability of agricultural production besides causing environmental pollution. There is need to develop most effective and economical weed control and planting pattern for obtaining higher yield of onion as well as profitability in its production. With this, the investigation entitled “Planting pattern and weed management practices on the productivity of onion (Allium cepa L.)” was undertaken during rabi 2013-14 and 2014-15 at Student’s Instructional Farm of C.S.A.U.A.T, Kanpur, UP, India to assess the impact of planting pattern and weed control treatments on weed growth and performance of onion. Twenty combination treatments of four planting patterns (Flat bed without rice straw, Flat bed with rice straw, Raised bed with rice straw and Raised bed without rice straw) with five weed management practices [Control (Weedy check), Pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha, Oxyfluorfen @ 0.250 kg/ha, Pendimethalin @ 0.750 kg/ha + HW and Oxyfluorfen @ 0.225 kg/ha + HW] was laid out in FRBD replicated thrice. Among the weed management practices, the treatments of oxyfluorfen or pendimethalin along with one hand weeding were found most effective in controlling weeds as well as on yield and yield attributes. Integration of raised bed with 1 t/ha rice straw planting pattern and oxyfluorfen @ 225 g a.i./ha + one hand weeding 40 DAT of onion weed control method manages weed most effectively producing highest bulb yield (211.05 q/ha) and found to be the most economical in onion cultivation and may be recommended for higher productivity of rabi onion in central Uttar Pradesh condition.