Weed management effect on weed dynamics, nutrient depletion and productivity of barley under north-western plain zone

A field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil at Agricultural Research Station, Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, India during two consecutive Rabi (winter) seasons of 2012-13 and 2013-14 to identify effective weed management treatments for attaining higher productivity of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), while understanding the associated weeds dynamics. Chenopodium album and Chenopodium murale were the major dicot weeds that occurred along with the emergence of crop. Cyperus rotundus, Phalaris minor and Asphodelus tenuifolius were the dominant monocot weed species. The hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 days after seeding (DAS) and isoproturon at 500 g/ha + 2,4-D at 250 g/ha 30 DAS resulted in significant reduction in weed density and weed biomass. Maximum weed control efficiency (WCE) with minimum N, P and K depletion by weeds at harvest was observed with hand weeding twice (95.06%) followed by isoproturon 500 g/ha + 2,4-D at 250 g/ha 30 DAS (80.24%). Significantly higher seed, straw, biological yields of barley were observed with hand weeding twice. Next best treatments were isoproturon 500 g + 2,4-D at 250 g/ha 30 DAS and isoproturon at 500 g + metsulfuron methyl 4 g/ha 30 DAS.