Effect of Herbicidal and Mechanical Weed Management on Weed Dynamics, Nutrient Depletion by Weeds, Growth and Yield of Urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]
Background: Urdbean (Vigna mungo L.) yields are heavily impacted by weed infestations, which compete aggressively for space, light, water and soil nutrients. To address this issue, a field study was executed to determine the impact of integrating herbicidal and mechanical weed management on weed parameters, crop growth, nutrient uptake through weeds and final grain output. Methods: During the Kharif season (2023), a field trial was executed in Kota, Rajasthan, to investigate how distinct mechanical and chemical weed control strategies alter weed proliferation, crop-weed nutrient competition and final urdbean yields. Utilizing a randomized block design with three replications, the study compared ten separate treatments consisting of individual and combination weed management techniques. Result: The experimental field was characterized by a diverse infestation of both narrow-leaved (grassy) and broad-leaved weed flora. Compared to the unweeded control plots, all evaluated weed management strategies significantly curtailed weed density and dry biomass accumulation. Concurrently, these interventions lowered weed-induced nutrient exhaustion across all growth stages of the crop. Among the tested regimes, manual weeding executed twice (at 20 and 40 DAS) demonstrated the highest efficacy in suppressing weed counts and dry matter, consequently minimizing the depletion of primary soil nutrients by weeds. Furthermore, this dual hand-weeding practice optimized weed control efficiency, culminating in significantly superior grain and stover yields. However, the performance of Fomesafen 11.1% + fluzaifop-p butyl 11.1% SL (Ready mix) @ 220 g a.i./ha remained statistically at par with this treatment.