Integrated Weed Management in Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

To study the efficacy of different herbicides integrating with hand weeding in mustard, a field investigation was planned during rabi season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 at Research Farm of Department of Agronomy CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Various treatments included were trifluralin 750 g/ha PPI (pre plant incorporation), trifluralin 750 g/ha PPI + 1 HW (hand weeding) 45 DAS (days after sowing), trifluralin 1000 g/ha PPI, trifluralin 1250 g/ha PPI, pendimethalin 750 g/ha PPI, pendimethalin 750 g/ha PPI + 1 HW 45 DAS, pendimethalin 1000 g/ha PPI, pendimethalin 1250 g/ha PPI, pendimethalin 750 g/ha PRE (pre emergence), pendimethalin 750 g/ha PRE + 1 HW 45 DAS, pendimethalin 1000 g/ha PRE, pendimethalin 1250 g/ha PRE, 1HW 30 DAS, 2 HW 30 and 60 DAS, weedy and weed free check. The seed yield and various yield attributes of irrigated mustard were increased when trifluralin (PPI) or pendimethalin (PPI & PRE), each at 750 g/ha integrated with 1 HW at 45 DAS, and these were comparable to the treatment of 2HW (30 and 60 DAS) and also to the weed free conditions. In mustard, the PPI application of pendimethalin was superior over PRE application, however there was no significant differences in yield. Weeds allowed to grow through the crop season reduced the seed yield of mustard to the extent of 30.4 and 33.9% during 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively.