STUDIES ON INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT  IN ONION (Allium cepa L.)

BRAR, SANDEEP SINGH

STUDIES ON INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT IN ONION (Allium cepa L.)

Date

2014

Authors

BRAR, SANDEEP SINGH

Publisher

UHF,NAUNI

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present investigation entitled “Studies on integrated weed management in onion (Allium cepa L.)” was carried out at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, (HP) during rabi, 2012-13 and 2013-14 with the objective to study the effect of different weed management practices on growth and yield of onion cv. Palam Lohit and economics of production. In this study, 12 treatments viz. preplant application of pendimethalin, preplant application of oxyfluorfen, hand weeding at 40,60 and 90 DAT, weed free plot, preplant application of pendimethalin + hand weeding at 40 DAT, preplant application of pendimethalin + hand weeding at 60 DAT, preplant application of oxyfluorfen + hand weeding at 40 DAT, preplant application of oxyfluorfen + hand weeding at 60 DAT, mulching with black polythene, pine needles and local grass and Unweeded check were compared in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) having three replications with a plot size of 3 х1.5 m and a plant spacing of 30 cm х10 cm. All the treatments were found significant for different characters. Maximum value for number of leaves per plant, leaf length , average weight of bulb (132.37 g), diameter per bulb (6.79 cm), fruit yield per plot (17.95 kg) and bulb yield per hectare (319.02 q) were recorded with treatment T9(Mulching with black polythene) followed by T4 (Weed free plot), among all the treatments. Maximum benefit: cost ratio (2.36) was again recorded in treatment T9 (mulching with black polythene) followed by T 7 (preplant application of oxyfluorfen + hand weeding at 40 DAT). No weeds were allowed to grow in weed free plot, so no weed density was found in T4 (weed free plot) followed by T9. Maximum TSS (11.28 o Brix) and number of bulbs per plot (137.17) was also recorded in treatment T4 (Weed free plot). Hence, use of black polythene mulch, therefore was found most effective for most of the character studied.