Integrated Approach for the Control of Hardy Weeds in Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

An experiment was conducted during 2005 and 2006 at the Research Farm of the Department of Agronomy, Agrometeorology and Forestry, PAU, Ludhiana in order to control some hardy weeds like Acrachne racemosa, Commelina benghalensis, etc. in groundnut. Crop treated with pre-plant application of fluchloralin 0.675 kg and pre-emergence application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg, oxyflourfen 0.25 kg and alachlor 1.25 kg/ha each f. b. one hand weeding as well as oxyflourfen 0.50 kg/ha alone produced significantly higher pod yield and significantly less weed dry matter accumulation as compared to the recommended treatment i. e. fluchloralin 0.675 kg/ha during both the years. However, during second year pre-plant application of trifluralin 0.75 kg/ha f. b. one HW, trifluralin 1.0 kg, oxyflourfen 0.25 kg+pendimethalin 0.5 kg, oxyflourfen 0.25 kg+trifluralin 0.75 kg/ha and two hand weedings treatments also resulted in significantly higher pod yield and significantly less weed dry matter accumulation than recommended treatment. On the basis of average of two years, all the herbicidal treatments except alone application of fluchloralin 0.675 kg and pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha produced significantly higher pod yield than unweeded control treatment. Integration of hand weeding with pre-plant application of fluchloralin 0.675 kg and trifluralin 0.75 kg as well as pre-emergence application of pendimethalin 0.75 kg, oxyflourfen 0.25 kg and alachlor 1.25 kg/ha increased pod yield by 39.1, 43.0, 54.6, 54.5 and 55.9% than unweeded control and 14.7, 17.9, 27.5, 27.4 and 28.4% than alone application of fluchloralin 0.675 kg/ha (recommended).