Bio-efficacy of pre-and post-emergence herbicides on weed dynamics, crop growth and yield in summer moong bean

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of the Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana-Ambala, Haryana during the year 2023-24. Total nine weed management treatments, i.e., Pendimethalin PRE at 750 g ha-1 (T1), Pendimethalin PRE at 750 g ha-1 fb one hand weeding (HW) at 30 DAS (T2), Pendimethalin PRE + imazethapyr (RM) at 1000 g ha-1 (T3), Pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) PRE at 1000 g ha-1 fb one HW at 30 DAS (T4), Imazethapyr PoE at 60 g ha-1 (T5), Imazethapyr + imazamox (RM) PoE at 60 g ha-1 (T6), Clodinafop propargyl + acifluorfen sodium (RM) PoE at 122.5 g ha-1 (T7), Weed free (two hoeing at 20 and 40 DAS) (T8) and Weedy check (T9), were laid out in randomized block design and replicated three times. The maximum seed yield was registered with weed free treatment (989 kg ha-1), which was at par with treatment pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) PE @ 1000 g/ha followed by one HW at 30 DAS (951 kg ha-1). The pre-emergence application of pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) @ 1000 g ha-1 + one hand weeding was found with the lowest weed density and dry weight at harvest as compared to other treatments. Among the herbicide combinations, the biological yield (3850 kg ha-1), haulm yield (2899 kg ha-1) and harvest index (32.80%) at harvest were recorded maximum in pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) PE @ 1000 g ha-1 followed by one hand weeding. The same treatment also recorded the maximum weed control efficiency (91.3%). Among herbicidal treatments, the treatment pendimethalin + imazethapyr (RM) @ 1000 g ha-1 + one hand weeding was recorded with maximum plant height (46.50 cm), number of nodules (14.70), number of branches (4.70), number of pods per plant (27.10), number of seeds per pod (14.50) and test weight (28.36 g).