Weed-free period requirement of drill-sown onion (Allium cepa) – chilli (Capsicum annuum) – cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) relay intercropping system in rainfed Vertisols

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Water Management Research Centre, Belvatagi for 2 years to find out the effect of different crop weed competition periods on drilled onion (Allium cepa L.), chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) and cotton (Gossypium herbaceum L.) relay intercropping under direct-seeded conditions. The weed flora was dominated with broad-leaved weeds (66%), followed by grasses (33%) and sedges (1%). The growth, yield parameters and yield of onion, chilli and cotton increased when the plots were maintained weed free condition up to 40 days in onion, up to 60 days weed-free in chilli and up to 120 days weed-free for the whole onion, chilli and cotton relay intercropping. Initial weed-free periods up to 20 or 40 days did not influence the seed cotton yields. Quality parameters of onion, chilli and cotton were not influenced by the weed-free periods.