<div>Background:&nbsp;Weed infestation is the major cause of yield loss to Kharif pulses in arid regions. Post-emergence herbicide application is a promising weed management option for pulses in these areas. Therefore, the current study was aimed to find an effective and economic post-emergence herbicide molecule for weed control in moth bean. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during 2017-2019 with different herbicides, hand weeding, weed-free and unweededs in Kharif mung bean in a randomized complete block design with three replications.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Among the herbicide treatments, post-emergence application of propaquizafop + imazethapyr @ 125 g a.i. ha-1 being statistically at par with clodinafop-propargyl + sodium acifluorfen @ 312.5 g a.i. ha-1&nbsp;and hand weeding recorded the highest reduction in total weed dry matter (73.9%), highest weed control efficiency (73.8%) and lowest weed persistence index (1.03) compared to the unweeded. The reduction in seed yield in unweeded compared to weed-free and hand weeding was 50.8% and 42.1%, respectively. As the imazethapyr-containing herbicides caused crop phytotoxicity, significantly higher crop dry weight (513 g m-2), seed yield (5.53 q ha-1), stover yield (18.0 q ha-1), gross returns and net benefits of moth bean were recorded with clodinafop-propargyl + sodium acifluorfen (312.5 g a.i. ha-1) over other herbicide treatments. Clodinafop-propargyl + sodium acifluorfen (@312.5 g a.i. ha-1) registered the minimum value of weed index (20) and highest values of herbicide efficiency index (3.9) and crop resistance index (4.70).</div>

Bioefficacy, Phytotoxicity and Economics of Post-emergence Herbicides in Moth Bean (Vigna aconitifolia) in Hot Arid Regions

A field investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of herbicides and their mixtures on weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. PBW-343. Minimum weed density per m2 &nbsp;and weed dry weight &nbsp;(5.13 and 17.31g) was recorded with sulfosulfuron at 25g ha-1 followed by &nbsp;clodinofop at 60g + metsulfuron methyl at 4g ha-1 &nbsp;(5.19 and 18.45g), metribuzin at 200g ha-1 (5.85 &nbsp;and 25.98g), pendimethalin at 1000g fb 2,4-D at 400g ha-1 (6.49 &nbsp;and 31.73g) and hand weeding twice (7.01 &nbsp;and 35g), respectively. Also, maximum weed control efficiency was recorded under sulfosulfuron at 25g ha-1 (83.85%) followed by clodinofop at 60g + metsulfuron methyl at 4g ha-1 (83.17%) and metribuzin at 200g ha-1 (75.85%), respectively. &nbsp;All the weed control treatments recorded significantly higher harvest index than the weedy check (40.24). Among various herbicidal treatments, application of clodinofop at 60g + metsulfuron methyl at 4g ha-1 recorded highest harvest index (41.91) followed by sulfosulfuron at 25 g ha-1 (41.83) and pendimethalin at 1000g fb 2,4-D at 400g ha-1 (41.25) respectively. The harvest index recorded under clodinofop at 60g + metsulfuron methyl at 4g ha-1 and sulfosulfuron at 25 g ha-1 was significantly at par with weed free (42.06).

Effect of herbicides and herbicide mixtures on weeds in wheat

<div>Background: Weeds are major factor that leads to increase crop-weed competition and adversely effects of on growth, quality and yield of urdbean during kharif season. In urdbean the critical period for crop weed competition was the first 25-30 days; yields can be reduced by 50-90%, if weeds were not controlled during this period. As a result, successful weed management strategies to achieve increased growth and yield. Due to the ease, lower cost, timeliness and success controlling weeds, the progressive transformation of agriculture involving intensive use of herbicides has gained traction in recent years. 
 
Methods: During kharif season 2019, a field experiment was undertaken at the Agricultural Research Station of&nbsp;Ummedganj, Kota, comprising ten weed management strategies, laid out in a randomised complete block design with three replications. 
 
Result: Two hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAS recorded significantly lower weeds dry matter, higher weed control efficacy, ultimately culminating in improved yield attributes and yield, compared to weedy check. This treatment was at par with pendimethalin 30% EC @ 1 kg a.i. ha-1 fb propaquizafop 2.5% w w-1 @ 33.3 g a.i. ha-1 + imazethapyr 3.75% w w-1 (pre mix) ME @ 50 g a.i. ha-1 at 20 DAS resulting in significantly higher pods plant-1 (13.67), seeds pod-1 (6.33), test weight (28.47 g), grain (827 kg ha-1), straw (1393 kg ha-1), biological (2221 kg ha-1) and harvest index (37.26%) of urdbean over the other chemical based treatment.</div>

​​Improved Herbicide Efficacy through Sole and Sequential Application of Herbicides for Higher Productivity of Urdbean (Vigna mungo) in Indian Semi-arid Tropics

Background: Weeds compete with plants for resources during cultivation and the control of weeds during the critical period of crop-weed competition is crucial to avoid yield loss ranging from 50%-90% in black gram. The first 4-5 weeks are critical for black gram crop-weed competition. The composition of weed flora, the duration of crop-weed competition and its intensity significantly impact yield losses in black gram cultivation. Therefore, the current study aims to evaluate weed management practices in rabi black gram, with a focus on identifying herbicides that enhance weed control, increase productivity and profitability. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 consecutively at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar. The field experiment comprised of eight treatments on different herbicide applications as T1- Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 65 g a.i. ha-1, T2- Quizalofop-p-ethyl @ 50 g a.i. ha-1, T3-Cyhalofop-butyl @ 75 g a.i. ha-1, T4-Pendimethalin @ 750 g a.i. ha-1, T5- Oxyflourfen @ 50 g a.i. ha-1, T6- Tembotrione @ 120 g a.i. ha-1, T7- Weed check (control) and T8- Weed free, which was laid under randomised block design. Collected samples were analyzed in the field and laboratory for crop-weed competition, herbicide phytotoxicity and yield attributes. 
 
Result: The results revealed that weed-free treatment recorded the lowest weed population (5.27-5.45), weed dry weight (1.35g-2.20 g) and lowest weed index (0.00%) at all growth stages followed by pendimethalin (PE) application. Among yield attributes, weed-free treatment recorded the highest plant height (cm) which was at par with pendimethalin (PE) followed by cyhalofop-butyl (PoE) application. The magnitude of seed yield was increased under weed-free (1035.46 kg ha-1) and pendimethalin (PE) and cyhalofop-butyl (PoE) applications by 53.62% and 48.40%, respectively over the weedy check. Application of tembotrione recorded the highest herbicide phytotoxicity (5.3-7.6) over the rest of the treatments. It can be concluded that the application of pendimethalin 30 EC 750 g ha-1 as PE at 2 DAS followed by cyhalofop-butyl 10 EC 75 g ha-1 can be advisable for better weed control, lower herbicide phytotoxicity and higher yield.

Bio-Efficacy of Pre-and Post-Emergence Herbicides on Growth, Productivity, Nodulation of Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.) under Coastal Plain of Odisha

<div>Background: Weeds are one of the major constraints in achieving yield potential of black gram. Due to slow initial growth of black gram, weeds compete effectively and caused reduction in growth as well as yield of black gram. Hand weeding is neither practicable nor economical due to unpredictability of weather and high labour cost, respectively. Therefore, application of herbicides is considered as the best approach for efficient weed control in black gram. &nbsp; 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Department of Agronomy, CCSHAU, Hisar during summer and kharif 2017 to evaluate the effect of different weed control treatments in black gram and their residual effect on succeeding pearl millet and sorghum crops. Total of fourteen weed control treatments were replicated thrice in randomized complete block design (RCBD).</div>

<div> 
Result: Dactyloctenium aegyptium (37%), Trianthema portulacastrum (34%), Cyperus rotundus (21%) and Digera arvensis (8%) were the major weed flora associated with black gram at 30 DAS. Both at 30 and 60 DAS, PE application of imazethapyr + pendimethalin (RM) at 1000 g ha-1 provided 100% control of D. aegyptium and T. portulacastrum. PE application of imazethapyr + pendimethalin (RM) at 1000 g ha-1 was the most significant herbicide treatment (90% control of weeds) at 30 DAS however, 3-4 leaf stage application of imazethapyr + imazamox at 70 g/ha recorded with highest control of weeds (89%) at 60 DAS. Maximum seed yield (912 kg ha-1) and yield attributes of black gram were obtained in weed free treatment which was statistically at par with two hoeing performed at 20 and 40 DAS (895 kg ha-1) and PE application of imazethapyr + pendimethalin (RM) at 1000 g ha-1 (878 kg ha-1). Imazethapyr and its RM combination with imazamox applied at 3-4 leaf stage had phytotoxic effects on black gram at 30 DAS which suppressed the growth and caused yield penalty. Residual effect or phytotoxicity was not observed on succeeding pearl millet and sorghum crops.</div>

<div>Bioefficacy of Imazethapyr Applied Alone and in Combination with other Herbicides in Black Gram and their Residual Effect on Succeeding Pearl-millet and Sorghum Crops</div>

Background: Weeds are the key pest, which reduce crop productivity. Direct-seeded rice is very prone to early-stage weed infestation during initial crop development. Cultural and mechanical methods are difficult due to unavailability of labour and poor work efficiency. Hence, use of herbicides is an effective method for timely weed control. However, the efficacy of agrochemicals depends on the efficiency of spraying equipment. Conventional knapsack sprayers are used most often to spray herbicides but they are highly time-consuming, labour intensive and labour drudgery practices. Hence, the current experiment was aimed to study the efficiency of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on weed management.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during summer, 2022 to evaluate the efficacy of UAV-based herbicide application in direct-seeded rice. The study comprised of five weed management treatments such as pre emergence application of pretilachlor with safener and pyrazosulfuron through both UAV and knapsack sprayer and unweeded check as control. The experimental plot was laid out in a randomized block design with four replications. 
 
Result: The experimental findings showed that the application of pre-emergence pretilachlor significantly reduced the density and dry weight of grasses, sedges and broad leaved weeds in knapsack application. Moreover, it was found on par with UAV application of same herbicide without any phytotoxicity to rice seedlings. From the experiment, the application of pre-emergence pretilachlor through UAV is found to be more effective for timely weed control during early stages in direct-seeded rice, which reduce the labour intensity and drudgery than knapsack application.

UAV-based Herbicide Application for Efficient Weed Management in Direct-seeded Rice

<div>Background: Chickpea yield losses due to weed competition have been estimated to range between 40 and 87% depending on weed species and density. As farmers continue to realize the usefulness of herbicides, larger quantities are applied to the soil. These herbicides could be leached down, then accumulate to toxic levels in the soil and become harmful to microorganisms, plant, wild life and human being. Hence, there is a need to determine the effect of different herbicides on the growth and multiplication of agriculturally important microorganisms, which in turn could affect the crop growth and yield. Thus there is a need to test pre and post-emergent herbicides for their effect on beneficial soil microflora, as they could be both beneficial and harmful depending on the herbicide used. In this context, a field experiment was conducted to study the effect of herbicides on soil microflora, root nodulation, growth and yield of chickpea under rainfed condition during the rabi season of 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Zonal Research Station, Chianki, Palamau, (Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi), Jharkhand (India). 
 
Methods: In this experiment conducted during rabi season 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Zonal Research Station, Chianki, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. The eight treatments were taken under RBD in three replications. Observations and analysis were carried out by following the standard procedures. 
 
Result: The present investigation clearly brought out that two hand weeding followed by pendimethalin was the best sought out option on controlling weed population, for higher growth and yield of chickpea. Based on the results obtained, it could be inferred that two hand weeding are costly as compared to pendimethalin and it had least adverse effect on microbial population and nodulation. Therefore, pendimethalin can be used to get the higher plant growth and yield of chickpea.</div>

<div>Impact of Herbicides on Soil Microorganisms, Nodulation and Yield of Chickpea</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2011-2012 at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala, India to evaluate three promising new generation herbicides for managing water cabbage. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of Azimsulfuron @ 20 and 30 g/ha, bispyribac-sodium @ 20 and 30 g/ ha, (metsulfuron-methyl + chlorimuron-ethyl) @ 4 and 6 g/ha, 2-4 &ndash;D @ 1 kg/ha and a weedy check. The results of the field study on weed control efficiency of the different herbicides indicated that 2, 4-D @1 kg a.i. ha-1 was most effective for controlling water cabbage. Among the new generation herbicides (metsulfuron methyl + chlorimuron ethyl) @ 6 g a.i. ha-1 and bispyribac sodium @ 30 g a.i. ha-1 were equally effective for controlling water cabbage. &nbsp;Azimsulfuron at both doses were found to be least effective in controlling water cabbage.&nbsp;</div>

Management of water cabbage [Limnocharis flava (L.)] Buchenau) using new generation herbicides

<div style="text-align: justify;">A systematic survey of 240 soybean growers on adoption of herbicide application practices was conducted in Akola, Buldana, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal and Wardha districts of &nbsp;Vidarbha during 2013-14 as University Research Review Committee Project. The study revealed that out of 240 selected farmers 221 (92.08%) farmers applied herbicide in soybean crop. Knowledge about the recommended per ha doses of herbicides was not known to &nbsp;57.08 % farmers. Power spray is never used for spraying of herbicides was not known to 29.17 % farmers in study area. &nbsp;Knowledge about calibration of spray pump was not noted in majority (97.08%) farmers. Use of 500 L water per ha for herbicide application in Soybean crop is not known to more than three fourth (77.50%) per cent farmers. Overall majority 61.25 % farmers have medium level of knowledge about selected 14 herbicide application practices for soybean crop. In selected districts Imazethapyr were more popular among majority (78.28 %) herbicide adopters in soybean crop, followed by 15.85 % farmers used Imazethapyr + Imazamox. Knapsack sprayer used by 61.54% farmers and power sprayer used by 38.46 % farmers for application of herbicides in soybean. Out of the total 85 (38.46%) power sprayer users majority 73 (85.88 %) farmers have not get effective control over weeds in soybean crop. Majority 88.69 % adopter farmers used less than recommended 500 liters of water/ha for herbicide application in soybean. Use of power sprayer and low quantity of water maintained at the time of herbicide application may be the causes of poor results at farmer&rsquo;s level.</div>

Knowledge and adoption of herbicide application practices by the soybean farmers in Vidarbha &nbsp;

<div>Background: Herbicides are used in agriculture to reduce the density of weeds and improve the crop yield. Pendimethalin 30% EC is widely used pre-emergent herbicide to control annual grasses and certain broad leaf weeds; is no longer effective against established weeds like Cyperus and Commelina benghalensis, Acalypha indica and Phyllanthus spp. that are dominant in groundnut crop. Combination of Pendimethalin 30% and Imazethapyr 2% EC is a broad-spectrum herbicide that controls most broadleaf weeds and some annual grasses. The current study aimed to improve the profitability of farmers by effectively and economically by controlling the targeted weeds. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station (ZAHRS), Babbur Farm, Hiriyur, Karnataka during Kharif 2018, 2019 and 2020, to study the efficacy of pre and post-emergence herbicides for weed management in groundnut. The trial comprised of nine treatments involving two pre-emergence herbicides (Pendimethalin 38.7 CS 1.0 kg/ha PE and Pendimethalin 30 EC+Imazethapyr 2 EC 1.0 kg/ha PE (ready mix)) alone and in combinations with post-emergence herbicides (quizalofop-p-ethyl 50 g/ha at 15-20 DAS (PoE)), along with pre-emergence herbicides super imposed with hand weeding at 30 DAS and compared with two inter cultural operation at 15 and 30 DAS followed by manual weeding for intra rows and weedy check. 
 
Result: The experimental results revealed that, among the different herbicides treatments, the higher net return (Rs. 92,835/ha) and B:C ratio (2.70) were noticed in Pendimethalin 30 EC+Imazethapyr 2 EC 1.0 kg/ha PE (ready mix)+manual weeding at 30 DAS as compared to control plot (Rs. 2620/ha and 0.96, respectively) this has effectively controlled most of the weed flora present in the experimental field.</div>