Resource Management Program, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru P.O., 502324, Andhra Pradesh
Field experiments were conducted under rainfed conditions during the 1987 and 1988 kharif season on pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br) to test the comparative efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides atrazine and terbutryne applied separately, in mixture and in combination, with hand-hoeing. Weed density and dry weight significantly reduced by herbicide application and hand-hoeing. Atrazine or terbutryne alone at 1.0 kg a.i./ha or in combination at 0.5 kg a.i./ha each, resulted in mortality of pearl millet plants. Pre-emergence application of atrazine at 0.5 kg a.i./ha followed by hand-hoeing at 30 days after sowing gave effective weed control, and resulted in more grain yield compared to the unweeded-control.
