1Rsesearch Scholar, Department of Agronomy, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal741 252
2Assistant Professor (Agronomy) and Officer-in-Charge, All India Network Project on Jute and Allied Fibres, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736 165
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal736 165
*Corresponding authors Email: kheroarshyamal@gmail.com
Online published on 27 August, 2021.
A study was carried out during the pre-kharif season of 2018 and 2019 at Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, to evaluate the efficacy of pre and post-emergence herbicides in tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) over manual weeding. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete-block design with 9 treatments, replicated thrice. The study results revealed that post-emergence herbicide-treated plots reduced the weed density by 74–96% and weed biomass by 72–93% compared to non-treated plots. Manual weeding twice-treated plots reduced the weed density by 82–92%. Pre-emergence herbicides failed to prove its efficacy over the manual weeding. Plots treated with quizalofop-ethyl + ethoxysulfuron followed by manual weeding achieved higher yield (3.46 t/ha) than manual weeding twice-treated plots (3.31 t/ha). Jute fibre yield and weed infestation showed a negative correlation. Yield reduction of 7.4–13.6 kg was recorded for every 1 kg increase in weed biomass, depending on time and method of the weed control. The study indicates that, ethoxysulfuron is a broad-spectrum herbicide. Combination of quizalofop-ethyl and ethoxysulfuron followed by manual weeding was found economically effective in controlling weeds as an alternative to labour consuming manual weeding.
Fibre yield, Integrated weed management, Jute, Weed density, Weed biomass
