Integrated weed management in chilli (Capsicum annuum) grown after rice (Oryza sativa) under rice-fallow system

A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional-cum-Research Farm of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2012 and 2013 to study the effect of weed management practices on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) grown after winter rice (Oryza sativa L.). The study revealed that the weed density as well as dry weight were the lowest in all the treatment with metribuzin @ 500g/ha combined with and hand weeding at 30 and 60 or 30, 50 and 60 or 30, 60 and 80 days after planting (DAP) over rest of the treatments. Among the weed management treatments, a higher weed density was observed in the 3 treatments of quizalofop-p-ethyl @ 50 g/ha followed by hand weeding at 45 and 75 or 60 and 80 or 50 and 80 DAP. Plant height, days to 50% flowering, number of primary and secondary branches were recorded the highest in metribuzin treated plots. The fruit yield (fresh and dry) was also found to be higher in the metribuzin treated plots. The available nutrients were found to be lower in the metribuzin treated plots and the treatments with only and hand weeding at different day's interval. The yield loss was 0.29 t/ha under weedy check treatment as compared to the highest yield (3.41 t/ha) obtained from metribuzin 500 g/ha and hand weeding at 30, 50 and 80 DAP. The benefit: cost ratio was found to be the highest (2.60) in metribuzin @ 500 g/ha along with and hand weeding at 30, 50 and 80 DAP. The biochemical attributes like ascorbic acid (62.1 mg/100g) and capsaicin content (60.8 mg/100g) were found to be higher in metribuzin @ 500 g/ha with and hand weeding at 30 and 60 or 30, 50 and 80 days after planting. From this study, it could be inferred that application of metribuzin @ 500g/ha with and hand weeding at 30, 50 and 60 DAP controlled the weeds in chilli effectively and resulted higher fruit yield, quality of chilli and benefit: cost ratio.