INFLUENCE OF HERBICIDES ON WEED MANAGEMENT IN TRUE POTATO

The results obtained showed that there was severe competition between potato and the predominant weed species Coronopus didymus, Chenopodium album, Fumaria parviflora, Melilotus indica and Spergula arvensis. Competition by other weed species was nominal. The maximum reduction in tuber yield due to weed competition was 50.5% in 1997–98 and 63.4% in 1998–99. Weed control treatments lowered the weed density and weed biomass and scaled up tuber yield in both the years, but their effect on weed species differed. Metribuzin killed all the Chenopodium album plants and gave excellent control of Coronopus didymus (94%) and effective control of other weed species. Pendimethalin inhibited the germination of Chenopodium album, gave good control of arvensis and lowered the density of other weed species. Fluchloralin completely inhibited the germination of Fumaria parviflora and gave good control of Chenopodium album and Spergula arvensis, but was least effective against other weed species. The highest yield was recorded in the weed-free treatment, which was significantly superior to all other treatments. Hand weeding + earthing up, isoproturon (1.0 kg/ha), metribuzin and pendimethalin caused an identical increase in tuber yield, which was significantly higher than the increase in the rest of the treatments. Atrazine at 0.25 kg ha –1 resulted in a higher increase than when applied at 0.5 kg ha –1 . Fluchloralin, paraquat and paddy straw mulch boosted up production, but the increase in tuber yield was not significant.