Integrated weed management in chilli under rainfed condition

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2010, 2011 and 2012 at Agricultural Research Station, Gadhinglaj under rainfed condition in sub-montane zone of Maharashtra. The experiment consisting of eight treatments, viz. two pre-emergence and one post-emergence herbicides alone and in combination with one hoeing and one weeding with weed free and weedy check was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The predominant weed flora observed in the experimental field was dicot weeds. The result revealed that pre-emergence application of pendimethalin + 1 hoeing + 1 hand weeding recorded minimum weed density, weed biomass and weed index as compared with all treatments. Gross and net returns were significantly higher with pendimethalin + 1 hoeing + 1 hand weeding which was at par with butachlor + 1 hoeing +1 hand weeding and superior over rest of treatments. Higher weed control efficiency and B: C ratio were recorded by the same treatments.