Evaluation of the efficacy of pre- and post-emergence herbicides in Rabi sesame

A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad during Rabi season of 2023-24 in a red sandy soil. The objective was to evaluate the effect of sequential application of pre-emergence (PE) and postemergence (PoE) herbicides on weed management, sesame yield and to identify effective herbicides for weed management, yield preservation, and crop safety. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) cv “CUMS 17” was line-sown. Among the herbicides tested, pre-emergence application (PE) of pendimethalin 30% + imazethapyr 2% EC (pre-mix) (pendimethalin + imazethapyr) 750+50 g/ha achieved significantly highest weed control efficiency (WCE) at 60 DAS and sesame yield. The sequential application of pendimethalin 750 g/ha PE followed by (fb) post-emergence application (PoE) of haloxyfop-R-methyl 10.5% w/w EC (haloxyfop-R-methyl) 54 g/ha recorded the next highest yield. Pyroxasulfone 85% w/w WG (pyroxasulfone) 127.5 g/ha PE was statistically at par with above sequential application treatment. Bentazone, metribuzin, fluazifop-p-butyl + fomesafen, and propaquizafop + imazethapyr showed phytotoxicity and resulted in lower sesame yield. The uncontrolled weeds in weedy check limited sesame yield to just 33% of the weed free check. It could be concluded that pendimethalin + imazethapyr 750+50 g/ha PE was superior in terms of attaining higher yield of sesame and effective weed management, while pyroxasulfone PE, haloxyfop-R-methyl, and clethodim PoE demonstrated their potential to use for weed management in sesame.