Yield and Seed Quality of Summer Green Gram as Influenced by Weed Management under Zero Tillage

Abstract

Background: Weeds are primary factors that adversely affect growth, yield and seed quality of summer green gram, which can be minimized with adoption of proper weed management practices. This field experiment was conducted to find out the effective weed management practice in summer green gram (Vigna radiata) under zero tillage condition. Methods: In this field-laboratory investigation conducted during summer season 2019 on different herbicides were applied to manage weeds in summer green gram. Eight treatments were applied based on various application windows. In the field and laboratory, the collected samples were determined for growth parameters, nutrient uptakes, seed yield and seed quality of summer green gram. Result: The result revealed that weed free treatment recorded higher growth parameters like, plant height, number of branch/plant, number of leaves/plant and root biomass which was statically at par with Shaked (Propaquizafop + Imezathyper) as post-emergence (POE) at 20 DAS and Pendimethalin as pre-emergence (PE) followed by one hand weeding 20 DAS. Same trends were also observed in seed yield, nutrient content and uptake by seeds. Seed quality parameters like germination per cent (98.00), shoot (25.63 cm) root (14.20 cm) and seedling length (39.83 cm), seedling dry weight (0.16 g), vigour index I (3903.33) and vigour index II (14.96) was higher under weed free followed by Shaked (Propaquizafop + Imezathyper) and Pendimethalin as (PE followed by one hand weeding 20 DAS over weed check.