Weed management studies in blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) under Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh

A field experiment was conducted at research farm of Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh to find out the cost effective herbicides and their time of application to provide weed free environment during early growth period of blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) during kharifseason of 2019. All the weed control treatments proved effective in significant reduction in number and dry weight of weeds as compared to weedy check. Among various herbicidal treatments application of imazethapyr + pendimethalin (RM) 1000 g as pre emergence treatment recorded the lowest weed number (26.7 m^-2) and weed dry matter accumulation (21.3 g m^-2) as well as the highest weed control efficiency (72.2%) at 60 DAS. Imazethapyr + imazamox (RM) @ 70 g at 3-4 leaf stage resulted in significantly higher number of pods plant^-1, seeds pod^-1, longer pods and bolder seeds. Likewise, also produced higher seed yield (1224 kg ha^-1) among other herbicidal treatments. In un-weeded plots seed yield was reduced in the range of 21 - 40 % compared with weed free and other treated plots. Among all weed control treatments application of imazethapyr + imazamox (RM) @ 70 g at 3-4 leaf stage seems to be the feasible option to realize higher seed yield and more net return per hectare along with higher benefit: cost ratio. Visual phytotoxic effect on crop was recorded in treatment imazethapyr + imazamox @ 70 g ha^-1 and @ 80 g ha^-1 at 3-4 leaf stage.