Evaluation of time and dose of imazethapyr in controlling weeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the post rainy (rabi) seasons of 2012-13 and 2013-14 at Agricultural Research Station, Gulbarga (Karnataka) to evaluate the time and dosage of imazethapyr in chickpea. The experiment was laid out with 12 weed-control treatments, viz. imazethapyr at 3 application rates (15, 20 and 30 g/ha) sprayed at 10 and 20 and 30 days after germination (DAG), pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha + one hand weeding at 25-30 DAS, weed free check and weedy check. Among the treatments, weed free check recorded significantly higher seed yield (1287 kg/ha), net returns (Rs. 29080/ha) and B:C ratio (2.30) and minimum weed dry weight and higher WCE (100%) followed by pre emergence application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha + one hand weeding at 25-30 DAS. Among the different doses and time of application of imazethapyr, application of imazethapyr 30 g/ha at 10 DAG resulted in 57.9% higher grain yield (1098 kg/ha), lower weed dry matter (6.88 g/0.5 m2) and higher WCE (75.33%) over unweeded control and other treatments. Imazethapyr 30 g/ha at 10 DAS also recorded the highest net returns (Rs.22780/ha) and B: C ratio (2.08), which was closely followed by imazethapyr 20 g/ha sprayed at 10 DAG, 20 DAG and imazethapyr 30 g/ha at 30 DAG.