D. Kumar et al., EFFECT OF MOISTURE CONSERVATION AND WEED-CONTROL ON PEARLMILLET (PENNISETUM-GLAUCUM) UNDER RAIN-FED CONDITIONS, Indian Journal of Agronomy, 40(3), 1995, pp. 425-430
A field experiment conducted during the rainy season of 1988 and 1989
showed that moisture conservation practice suppressed the weed growth
and improved the productivity and water-use efficiency of pearlmillet
[Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br. emend. Stuntz.] only in scanty rainfall
year of 1989. The maximum reduction in weed density and dry weight wa
s attained with flat bed + straw mulch, but crop productivity and wate
r-use efficiency were the highest with ridge and furrow + straw mulch.
In 1988, net return/ha and net return/rupee were highest with flat be
d. In 1989, although highest net return/ha was recorded with ridge and
furrow, none of the moisture-conservation treatments proved economica
l in respect of net return/rupee invested. Weeding caused remarkable r
eduction in weeds in both years. especially with hand-weeding. However
, crop productivity and water-use efficiency were influenced favourabl
y by weed-control measures only in 1988. The highest values of yield a
nd water-use efficiency were associated with atrazine @ 0.50 kg/ha fol
lowed by band-weeding. The highest net return/ha and net return/rupee
were recorded with atrazine @ 0.50 kg/ha in both years except that non
e of the weed-control treatments proved economical in respect of net r
eturn/rupee invested in 1989.