Productivity and profitability of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) as influenced by weed- management practices under irrigated condition

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2014-15 at Udaipur, Rajasthan, to find out suitable weed-management practices for Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj. & Cosson]. Of the 10 treatments, after weed-free check, 2 hand-weedings at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS) recorded the highest growth parameters, viz. dry-matter accumulation at harvest (40 g/plant), plant height (170 cm), branches/plant (23); and yield attributes, viz. siliquae/plant (297.0), seeds/siliqua (15.5) and 1,000-seed weight (4.89 g) resulted in the highest seed (1.95 t/ha) and straw yield (5.57 t/ha). However, the highest net returns (₹56.3 × 103/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (2.69) were recorded with fluazifop-p-butyl 0.055 kg/ha at 10 DAS + 1 hoeing at 40 DAS being at par with fenoxaprop-p-ethyl 0.075 kg/ha at 10 DAS + 1 hoeing at 40 DAS. For getting more yield and profit, weed-management in Indian mustard should be done through application of fluazifop-p-butyl 0.055 kg/ha as postemergence 10 days after sowing followed by 1 hoeing 40 DAS.