Integrated weed management in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) during rabi season

An integrated weed management study in groundnut during rabi (irrigated) seasons of 1996–97 to 1998–99 was conducted on red sandy loam soils. The weed flora of the experimental field comprised both dicot and monocot weeds. Pre-emergence application of herbicides paralysed the growth of grass weeds for a month, and gave a good control of broad leaf weeds. Among the herbicides tried, preemergence application of pendimethalin at 0.75 kg a.i./ha followed by one hand weeding at 30 DAS was very effective on weed density and weed dry weight; enhanced the yield attributes, pod yields (36% over unweeded check), weed control efficiency and reduced the weed index. In all the three years of experimentation, hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS was at par with that of pre-emergence application of pendimethalln at 0.75 kg a.i./ha + hand weeding at 30 DAS with identical increase in pod yields.