VIJAYA BHASKAR REDDY, U.VYSHNAVI, BOBBILI2022-08-172022-08-172022-08-17D6268https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810186403EFFECT OF PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.)A field experiment was conducted to study the “Effect of physical and chemical weed management practices on growth and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)” on sandy loam soils at College Farm, Agricultural College, Mahanandi campus of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University during rabi, 2020-2021. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The present experiment consists of eight different weed management treatments viz., weedy check (T1), two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2), intercultivation fb hand weeding at 20-25 DAS (T3), alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb hand weeding at 20-25 DAS (T4), alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS (T5), alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6), alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb fomesafen + fluazifop-p-butyl @ 222 g a.i. ha-1 at 2-3 leaf stage of weeds (T7) and fomesafen + fluazifop-p-butyl @ 222 g a.i. ha-1 at 2-3 leaf stage of weeds fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T8). The data on weed flora observed in the experimental field consists of twelve species of weeds belonging to eight taxonomic families of which four species were grasses, one species was sedge and seven species were broad leaved weeds. Data on weed dynamics viz., weed density, weed dry weight, weed control efficiency and weed index revealed that alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb hand weeding at 20-25 DAS (T4) recorded xvi lesser weed density, weed dry weight and higher weed control efficiency at 30 DAS. But at 60 DAS and at harvest two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2) registered lower weed density, weed dry weight, weed index and higher weed control efficiency. Among integrated methods, alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6) found superior in controlling weeds. However, maximum weed density, weed dry weight, weed index and lower weed control efficiency were observed in weedy check (T1). Data on growth parameters of chickpea viz., plant height, number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation and days to 50 % flowering revealed that alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb hand weeding at 20-25 DAS (T4) recorded maximum plant height, number of branches plant-1 and dry matter accumulation at 30 DAS. But, at 60 DAS and at harvest two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2) recorded higher values of plant height, number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation and days to 50 % flowering. Among integrated methods, alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6) recorded higher growth parameters compared to other treatments. Lower values of growth parameters were recorded with weedy check (T1). The higher yield attributing characters i.e., number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, test weight, seed yield, haulm yield and harvest index were recorded with two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2). Among integrated methods, alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6) registered higher yield attributes over other treatments. The lowest values of yield attributes were observed with weedy check (T1). The higher gross returns, net returns and benefit-cost ratio was registered with two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2) and alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6), however these two treatments were on par with each other. The lower gross returns, net returns and benefit-cost ratio were observed with weedy check (T1). In conclusion, among the physical and chemical methods tried in the experimentation during rabi revealed that two hand weedings at 20-25 DAS and 35-40 DAS (T2) and alachlor 50 EC @ 1250 g a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence application fb intercultivation at 20-25 DAS fb hand weeding at 35-40 DAS (T6) found superior in recording higher yield and economics of chickpea.EnglishThesis