2025, Vol. 8, Special Issue 2

author(s)
SK Sahoo, S Tripathy, KC Sahoo, S Tudu, S Das, PK Majhi, S Samantaray, S Biswasi and BB Dalai

abstract
The experiment entitled “Impact of weed management strategies on yield and economics of niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass.] was conducted in Eastern Ghats high land agro-climatic zone of Odisha” under AICRP on Niger at Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station, Semiliguda during kharif season of 2023.The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, well drained and acidic in reaction (pH 5.8) with low organic carbon (4.5 g kg ^-1). The values of soil N, P₂O₅ and K₂O were in the range of 180, 16.50 and 245 kg ha^-1, respectively. The climate of the region is warm and humid with an average annual rainfall of 1567.2 mm, out of which 85% is received from mid June to mid October with occasional showers in winter and summer months. The crop was sown on 12^thAugust with a spacing of 30 cm x 10 cm and harvested on 7^th December. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design replicated thrice with imposition of eight treatment combinations as T₁- Weedy check, T₂- Two hand weedings at 20 & 40 DAS, T₃- Inter cropping of Niger + Finger millet (3:2), T₄- Chemical stale seed bed (application of Glufocinate 15 days before sowing), T₅- Application of Pendimethalin 30% EC @ 750 g a.i ha^-1 as pre emergence (PE) spray, T₆- Application of Pyroxasulfone 85% WG @ 50 g a.i ha^-1 as PE, T₇- Application of Pendimethalin 30% EC as PE fb Imazethapyr 10% SL @ 100 g a.i ha^-1 as post emergence (PoE) spray at 2-4 leaf stage of weed, T₈- Application of Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC @ 75 g a.iha^-1 as pre emergence (PE) spray to evaluate the efficacy of herbicides and cost effective weed management option in niger. Two hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAS (T₂) improved yield contributing characters viz. number of capitula plant^-1 (75.9), number of seeds capsule^-1 (29.9), seed yield (687.5 kgha^-1), straw yield (1085.7 kg ha^-1) and harvest index (38.77%) and was statistically at par with application of Pendimethalin 30% EC as PE fb Imazethapyr 10% SL (T₇). However, application of Pendimethalin 30% EC as PE fb Imazethapyr 10% SL was found economically more remunerative as compared to other weed management strategies with highest net return per ha (Rs. 33,336) and B:C ratio (2.99) and hence can be recommended to the farmers.