Weed management in pigeonpea under rainfed conditions in India

The mean yield data of 30 experiments conducted over large parts of India during 1982–68 revealed that efficient weed management was one of the most important production inputs in pigeonpea cultivation. The relative improvements from weed management were 31% as against 5% due to fertilizer use (18–46–0). Weed control combined with fertilizer use exhibited synergistic effects in some conditions. Further studies at Kanpur during 1986–88 revealed that monocot (narrow‐leaved) weeds caused greatest potential damage, closely followed by sedges. Dicot weeds were least harmful. A study on the relative efficacy of different herbicides in a pigeonpea/sorghum intercropping system showed that pendimethalin 1.5 kg/ha as pre‐emergence spray was the most effective herbicide followed by alachlor at 2 kg/ha or 0.75 kg/ha pendimethalin + one hand‐weeding at 30 days after sowing.