Weed dynamics and productivity of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) under pre-and post-emergence application of herbicides

A field study was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2011–13 at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to assess the performance of post-emergence application of quizalofop-ethyl in combination with pre-emergence application of pendimethalin on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The treatments comprised 5 doses of quizalofop-ethyl (50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 g/ha) in combination with pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha, and pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha followed by (fb) manual weeding. The broad-leaf weeds like Coronopus dedymus, Melilotus officinalis and Chenopodium album were dominant. In case of grassy weeds, Phalaris minor was the most dominant weed. Significant reduction in total weed density and weed dry weight was recorded under application of pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha fb quizalofop-ethyl @ 100–150 g/ha and pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg/ha fb manual weeding. Weed-control indices also showed improvement under these treatments. The poor crop-weed competition due to effective control of weeds under these treatments resulted in higher nodulation and yield. Similarly, higher net returns and benefit: cost ratio were recorded in pendimethalin @1.25 kg/ha fb quizalofop-ethyl @ 125 g/ha.