Response of weed management practices on the Productivity of urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper)

A field Investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of hand weedings and herbicides on the weed flora, growth and yield of urdbean (Vigna mungo). The experiment was conducted during kharif season 2011 in loamy sand soil, to study the effect of different Ten weed management treatments comprising weedy check, weed free, one hand weeding (HW) at 20 days after sowing (DAS), two HW at 20 and 40 DAS, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha, imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha + HWat 30 DAS and imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS on urdbean. Results showed that the maximum plant height was recorded under weed free treatment at all the growth stages and the maximum dry matter accumulation of 108.88 and 159.31 g per metre row length at 50 DAS and harvest stages was obtained under imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS treatment that was significantly higher by 17.8, 21.8, 24.6, 31.8 and 56.0 per cent at 50 DAS and 20.4, 17.6, 25.4, 29.0 and 50.1 per cent at harvest stage over imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha, one HW at 20 DAS, alachlor at 1.5 kg/ha, trifluralin at 0.75 kg/ha and weedy check treatments, respectively.. Application pre emergence application of imazethapyr at 0.10 kg/ha + HW at 30 DAS was found the most effective treatment with regard of grain yield (1403 kg/ha) and net returns (Rs 34815/ha). Two hand weedings done at 20 and 40 DAS also produced grain yield of 1392 kg/ha with net returns of Rs 33469 /ha.