Performance of non-chemical methods of controlling grass weeds in Mango Orchards in Sindhudurg district

The chemical methods of weed control in mango orchards being costly, studies have been conducted on farmer's fields in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra under Technology Assessment and Refinement through Institution Village Linkage Project, supported by ICAR, New Delhi, during the year 2004–05. Two separate trials have been conducted in mango orchards of Hodawade, Tulas and Talawade villages; the first in 20 old orchards (having age more than 10 years) and the second in 10 young orchards (having age less than 5 years). It has been revealed that grazing cattles is the most effective treatment for controlling weeds in the old mango orchards. The expenditure on cutting of grass has been found more than the value of the grass harvested. Generally, the mango crop is planted at the spacing of 10m × 10m and there is sufficient space available for intercropping. During the initial years, intercropping helps in providing some income to the farmers. Intercropping with ridge gourd has been found a profitable method of weed control in the new mango orchards. It could generate the income of Rs 23,578/ha at cost ‘A’ level with cost benefit ratio of 1.08. Hence, instead of cutting green grass or dry grass, intercropping of ridge gourd has been suggested.