Effect of irrigation levels and weed control methods on dry matter accumulation, growth dynamics and yield of fenugreek

A field experiment was conducted during 2006–07 and 2007–08 at Sardarkrushinagar to find out optimum level of irrigation and suitable weed control method. The experiment consisting of three levels of irrigation (0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 IW/CPE ratio) in main plot and six weed control methods (weedy check, weed-free, hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, HW at 20 + interculturing at 40 DAS, application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha−1(PE) and pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha−1 (PE) + interculturing at 40 DAS) in subplots was laid out in split plot design with four replications. Results revealed that irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio resulted in significantly higher dry matter/plant, crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate except CGR at 0–30 DAS which was at par with irrigation at 0.8 IW/CPE ratio. Length of pod, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and test weight of seeds as well as seed, straw and biological yields were recorded the highest with irrigation at 1.0 IW/CPE ratio. Besides, weed-free treatment, the highest dry matter accumulation per plant, CGR, RGR, NAR and yield attributes as well as seed, straw and biological yield were recorded with pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg per ha + IC at 40 DAS followed by hand weeding (HW) at 20 and 40 DAS which were statistically at par with weed free treatments and significantly superior over rest of the treatments. Thus, pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg/ha+ IC at 40 DAS was found most effective weed control method in fenugreek.