Effect of Weed Management on Weeds, Growth and Yield of Summer Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek]

摘要

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek], also known as greengram, is the third most widely cultivated pulse crop in India. Pulse crops have been the mainstay of Indian agriculture for providing protein-rich diet to vegetarian masses of the country. Being leguminous crops they have beneficial effect on improving soil fertility through fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Summer mungbean often suffers from severe crop-weed competition because it is grown under irrigated conditions. Infestation of weeds is amajor constraint in achieving higher yield of summer mungbean (Singh and Sekhon, 2002), as these compete with crop plants for nutrients, moisture, light and space. The magnitude of reduction in yield depends upon the weed flora present, quantum of weedflora and duration of crop-weed competition. Critical period for crop-weed competition in summer mungbean is from 15 to 30 days after sowing (DAS) (Singh et al, 1996). Thus, it is imperative to eliminate weeds from the crop at proper time and with suitable methods. Though weeds can be controlled by hoeing yet due to shortage of labour it becomes difficult to do hoeing at appropriate time and delayed hoeing may cause economic loss.