Weed Control in Cluster Bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) Fodder

The field experiment was conducted during kharif 1994 to 1998 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to find out the suitable herbicide for the control of weeds in cluster bean. Trianthema portulacastrum was the predominant weed. Pendimethalin and fluchloralin at all levels and hand weeding significantly reduced the dry matter of weeds over weedy control and the weed control efficiency was in the range of 59.4 to 92.9%. Green fodder and dry matter yields increased with the increase in the dose of herbicides. Green and dry fodder yields due to pendimethalin at 0.562 kg ha−1 and fluchloralin at 1.124 kg ha−1 were statistically comparable with hand weeding treatment. However, hand weeding was significantly better than pendimethalin at 0.562 kg ha−1 and fluchloralin at 1.124 kg ha−1 with respect to crop dry matter yield. On the whole, pendimethalin had an edge over fluchloralin in controlling weeds.