Weed flora diversity in maize based cropping and production systems
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Date
2021-07-31
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Palampur
Abstract
The study was carried out in a continuing experiment under the aegis of Rastriya Krishi Vikas
Yojna (Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation, RAFTAAR, Ministry
of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India) at CSK HPKV, Palampur. Three different
cropping systems viz., maize – wheat, maize + cowpea – wheat + gram and okra + pole bean – cabbage
+ garden pea were evaluated under four production practices viz., integrated nutrient management (INM),
organic management (OA), natural farming (NF), and conservation agriculture (CA) for appraisal on
weeds floristic diversity and crop productivity, profitability and energetics. Weed flora was composed of
14 species in rabi and 15 species during kharif. Tulipa asiatica L. (18%), Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (8%),
Ranunculus arvensis L. (8%), Poa annua L. (8%), Phalaris minor Retz. (7%), Coronopus didymus L.
(7%), Anagallis arvensis L. (7%), Fumaria parviflora L. (7%), Lolium temulentum L. (6%) and Vicia
hirsuta (L.) Gray (6%) were the major weeds during rabi. Ageratum conyzoides L. (27%) was the most
dominant weed during kharif followed by Cyperus sp (19%), Polygonum alatum L. (15%), Commelina
benghalensis L. (8%), Echinochloa colona (L.) Link (7%), Alternanthera philoxeroides L. (4%),
Artemisia vulgaris L. (4%), Bidens pilosa L. (4%) and Trifolium repens L. (4%). Irrespective of
production and cropping systems, Tulipa asiatica was the most important weed during the rabi season
with IVI value ranging from 33.8 to 57.3 under production systems and 40.8 to 42.6 under cropping
systems. This was followed by Poa annua, Ranunculus arvensis and Stellaria media. During kharif,
Ageratum conyzoides was the most important weed with IVI value of 40.9-69.8 in production systems
and 60.7-69.2 in cropping systems. This was followed by Cyperus sp and Polygonum alatum. Simpson’s
index of diversity and Simpson’s reciprocal index indicated higher weed diversity under INM and OA
treatments followed by NF (P1) treatment, while, the lower diversity as per these indices was under CA
(P4). Maize + cowpea – wheat + gram (C2), maize – wheat (C1) and okra + pole bean – cabbage + garden
pea (C3) treatments had the similar Simpson’s index of diversity and Simpson’s reciprocal index. Weeds
removed 68.2-83.2 kg N, 10.8-21.0 kg P and 59.6-95.1 kg K/ha under production systems with the
minimum being under INM and the maximum under NF while 72.9-78.6 kg N, 13.8-15.5 kg P and 69.7-
78.9 kg K/ha were removed under cropping systems minimum under maize + cowpea – wheat + gram
(C2) and maximum under okra + pole bean – cabbage + garden pea (C3). Among production systems,
INM or CA were more promising in terms of wheat grain equivalent yield (WGEY), net returns, energy
output, energy intensity, energy productivity and energy profitability followed by OA and NF treatments
in that order. Okra + pole bean – cabbage + garden pea (C3) gave significantly higher WGEY, energy
productivity and energy profitability. But it had higher cost of cultivation and low yield in kharif thereby
lower net returns, B:C, energy output, energy output: input and energy intensity both in terms of MJ/kg
and MJ/rupee.