Compatibility and Efficiency of Pre-emergence Herbicides on Weed Control and Seedling Growth of Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) Nursery

Abstract

Nursery experiments were carried out to evaluate three different pre-emergence herbicides on weed control efficiency, seedling survival and seedling growth of Teak nursery. Three days after planting the stumps in poly bags, pre emergence herbicides viz. atrazine (50% WP), pendimethalin (30% EC) and oxyfluorfen (23.5% EC) were applied as herbicide spray with water at different concentrations on the nursery bags using knapsack sprayer. Thirty and sixty days after application of herbicides, observations were made on number of leaves/stump, number of secondary roots/stump, dry matter production (g seedling-1) and survival parentage of Teak seedling in each treatment. Weed control efficiency was worked out on the basis of weed dry weight (g) recorded in each treatment at 30 days after application of herbicides. To evaluate the efficency and compatibility of pre-emergence herbicides on seedling growth of Teak were observed through phytotoxic scoring on 3 days interval up to 30 days and 15 days interval up to 60 days after application of herbicides. The results revealed that the compatibility of application of pre-emergence herbicide of atrazine at 0.50% - 1.0% can be effectively control weeds without impairing the seedling growth of Tectona grandis.