Weed management and its effect on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

The treatments consisting pendimethalin @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ at pre-emergence of crop, glyphosate @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ as post-emergence at 45 days after sowing (DAS), two hand weeding at 30 and 45 DAS, pendimethalin @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ at pre-emergence + glyphosate @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ as post-emergence at 45 DAS, pendimethalin @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ at pre-emergence + hand weeding at 45 DAS and hand weeding at 30 DAS + glyphosate @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ as post-emergence at 45 DAS were compared with the untreated check. The best weed control of 96.8% was recorded in the integration of pre and post-emergence treatment of pendimethalin @ 1.00 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ and glyphosate followed by glyphosate with 90.2% weed control as compared with untreated check. The lowest weed control of 74.1% was recorded from two hand weeding. As a consequence of the weed control, the highest seed cotton yield of 2671 kg ha⁻¹ was obtained from combined treatment of pre and post-emergence application of pendimethalin and glyphosate followed by integrated treatment of hand weeding and glyphosate with 2629 kg ha⁻¹ yield. Results showed that all the weed control measures were effective and enhanced the seed cotton yield from 22.9 to 38.2% over unweeded check.