Effect of Integrated Weed Management Practices on Growth and Yield of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of integrated weed management practices on growth and yield of onion at College Farm, Professor Jayashanker Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad in Rabi 2021. The experiment consisted of eleven treatments and laid out in randomised block design (RBD) with 3 replications. Results revealed that growth parameters viz., plant height and number of leaves per plant were significantly influenced by weed management practices. Significantly high growth parameters were recorded with mechanical weeding at 20 and 40 DAT and it was at par with pendimethalin 38.7% CS 677.25 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch and oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC 100 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch. Similarly, higher yield was recorded with mechanical weeding at 20 and 40 DAT (183.2 q ha-1) and it was on par with pendimethalin 38.7% CS 677.25 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch (176.3 q ha-1) and oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC 100 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch T2 (173.2 q ha-1). On the other hand, lower growth parameters and yield was recorded in unweeded treatment. Hence it can be concluded that mechanical weeding at 20 and 40 DAT or pendimethalin 38.7% CS 677.25 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch or oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC 100 g ha-1 PE + polyfilm mulch may be adopted for better growth and yield in onion.