PATEL, R. H.PATEL, PIYUSHKUMAR MAGANBHAI2018-05-212018-05-212005http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810046843A field experiment was conducted at the College Agronomy Farm, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the summer kharif season of 2003-04 to study the "Relative efficiency of herbicides and non chemical means on weed dynamics and growth of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) seedlings in nursery". The soil of the experimental plot was loamy sand in texture with organic carbon (0.61 per cent), 7.80 pH and having a good drainage. The soil was medium in available nitrogen, phosphorus and high in potassium. The chilli var. S-49 was sown by broadcast method on 17th June, 2004 with the seed rate of 10 g m-2. Twelve treatments were studied during the investigation, comprising of five soil solarization (SS) treatments, rabbing. fluchloralin and pendimethalin application as pre-emergence, stale cultivation, hand weeding and weedy check. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design with four replications. Characters viz., weed count, fresh as well as dry weight of weeds, chilli seed germination, periodical plant height, number of leaves, root length, transplantable (healthy) and non transplantable (weak) seedlings, their fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll content in leaf of seedlings, nutrients status of soil before and after nursery and economics of different weed management treatments studied during the course of investigation. Soil solarization with 0.025 mm TPE for 45 days significandy increased soil temperature and thereby lowered the weed population i.e. weed chilli seedlings competition in chilli nursery. The maximum reduction in total weeds were recorded under hand weeding, rabbing and soil solarization with 0.025 mm TPE for 45 days. The lower fresh and dry weight of weeds were recorded in hand weeding, next in line was rabbing and soil solarization with 0.025 mm TPE for 45 days. These treatments also followed the same trend for weed control efficiency. Other weed management treatments although reduced the fresh and dry weight of weeds but the weed control efficiency was low for them. All soil solarization treatments increased the plant height, root length and number of leaves, number of transplantable, fresh and dry weight of chilli seedlings. Soil solarization with 0.025 mm TPE for 45 days yielded maximum content of chlorophyll in leaves of chilli seedlings. Rabbing increased the status of potassium in soil as compared to other treatments. All soil solarization, rabbing and hand weeding treatments increased the status of sulphur in soil. Soil solarization with 0.025 mm TPE for 45 DAS, rabbing and hand weeding at 20 DAS, were economically viable for the control of weeds and increased transplantable (healthy) seedlings.enAGRONOMY, AGRICULTUREA STUDYThesis