Management of mixed weed flora in barley with tank-mix application of isoproturon with metsulfuron and 2,4-D

A field experiment was conducted with eight treatments comprising individual application of isoproturon 0.75 and 1.00 kg/ha and tank mix application of isoproturon 0.75 and 1.00 kg/ha with metsulfuron 0.004 kg/ha each and isoproturon 1.00 and 1.25 kg/ha with 2,4-D 0.50 kg/ha each including hand weeding twice and a weedy check. All herbicidal treatments resulted in significant reduction of count and dry matter of total weeds, thereby giving significantly higher grain yield of barley over weedy check. Application of isoproturon + metsulfuron 1.00 + 0.004 kg/ha and isoproturon + 2,4-D 1.25 + 0.5 kg/ha was statistically similar to hand weeding twice with significant reduction of weed count and dry matter resulting in higher weed control efficiency. Tank mix application of all combinations gave significantly higher grain yield of barley. However, isoproturon + metsulfuron 1.00 + 0.004 kg/ha recorded similar higher grain yield of 1.72 t/ha as comparable to hand weeding twice (1.72 kg/ha), which was 8.6 to 27.3% higher over remaining herbicide treatments. Highest net returns due to weed control and marginal benefit cost ratio of Rs 4661/ha and 2.32, respectively was obtained with isoproturon + metsulfuron 1.00 + 0.004 kg/ha followed by isoproturon + metsulfuron 0.75 + 0.004 kg/ha with corresponding values of Rs 3560/ha and 1.86.