EFFECT OF POST-EMERGENCE HERBICIDES ON WEED GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF HORSEGRAM (MACROTYLOMA UNIFLORUM L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2022 at the Agricultural Research Station, Ananthapuram, Andhra Pradesh, to evaluate the efficacy of different post-emergence herbicides on weed control, growth, yield, and economics of horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.) under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight treatments and three replications. The treatments were consisting of T1: Imazethapyr + imazamox @ 50 g/ha as PoE at 15 – 20 DAS, T2: Imazethapyr + imazamox @ 75 g/haas PoE at 15 – 20 DAS, T3: Propaquizafop 2.5% + imazethapyr 3.75% @  1000 ml /ha as PoE at 15 – 20 DAS, T4: Propaquizafop 2.5% + imazethapyr 3.75% @ 1500 ml /ha as PoE at 15 – 20 DAS, T5: Clodinofop propargyl 8% +
aciflourfen sodium 16.5 @ 500 ml /ha as PoE at 15 – 20 DAS, T6: Clodinofop propargyl 8% +aciflourfen sodium 16.5 @ 750 ml /ha as PoE at  15 – 20 DAS, T7: Hand weeding at 15-20 DASand 35-40 DAS and T8: Weedy check. Results revealed that hand weeding twice at 15–20 and35–40 days after sowing recorded the lowest weed density, highest weed control efficiency (WCE),and superior growth and yield attributes. Among herbicidal treatments, Propaquizafop 2.5% +Imazethapyr 3.75% @ 1500 ml/ha as PoE at 15–20 DAS recorded significantly lower weed density and higher WCE, followed by Propaquizafop + Imazethapyr @ 1000 ml/ha, due to theircomplementary control of both grassy and broadleaf weeds. The highest seed yield (1116 kg/ha) and bhusa yield (1942 kg/ha) were obtained in hand weeding twice, while Propaquizafop + Imazethapyr @ 1500 ml/ha achieved 908 kg/ha seed yield with a higher benefit-cost ratio (2.41), indicating its economic advantage