Weed management in jute: An overview

Introduction

Jute (Corchorus spp.) is an important fibre crop extensively cultivated in the eastern regions of India, particularly in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Odisha and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Popularly referred to as the "golden fibre," jute is an annual, short-day plant, with its commercial fibre mainly derived from two species, Corchorus capsularis (white jute) and Corchorus olitorius (tossa jute). Due to its biodegradable and eco-friendly nature, jute serves as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibres. The crop is predominantly grown by small and marginal farmers and plays a significant role in supporting rural livelihoods. India, along with Bangladesh, ranks among the leading jute-producing countries (Singh et al., 2015) [36] . Despite its economic importance, jute cultivation is constrained by several production challenges, of which weed infestation is one of the most critical. Weeds, particularly C₄ species, compete strongly with jute, a C₃ plant, for essential resources such as light, water and nutrients, especially during the early stages of crop growth. If not managed properly, weed competition can lead to substantial yield losses, with reports indicating fibre yield reductions of up to 70%.Traditional manual weeding, though effective, is highly labour-intensive and accounts for nearly 40% of the total cost of cultivation (Ghorai, 2008) [14] . While chemical herbicides provide rapid weed control, their indiscriminate use can result in environmental pollution, development of herbicide resistance in weeds and adverse effects on non-target organisms. In view of these limitations, Integrated Weed Management (IWM) has emerged as a promising and sustainable approach for weed control in jute. IWM combines mechanical, chemical and cultural practices to achieve effective weed suppression while reducing environmental risks and production costs (Sarak et al., 2024) [35] . However, compared to other crops, comprehensive research on IWM strategies specifically

Crop weed competetion in jute

The Critical period of crop weed competition define as the short life span in the life cycle of a crop when weed causes maximum reduction in its yield or in other words, when weed control measure if adopted may fetch near maximum acceptable crop yield.

Corchorus capsularis

According to Gogoi and Kalita (1992) [16,17] crop weed competition period for capsularis jute is 15 to 60 DAS (days after sowing).

Corchorus olitorius

Critical crop weed competition starts at 7 DAS and ends at 42 DAS in Olitorius jute.

Weed management options in Jute Preventive method

It is one of the potential methods to reduce the weeds infestation in crop field but it requires times and careful attention. Different approaches of weed prevention includes • Use of pure and clean seeds and seed certification.

• Use of well decomposed farm yard manure / compost, sewage and sludge. • Clean farm machineries and farm animals.

• Clean irrigation channels and water and alternate irrigation system. • Clean farm bunds, roadsides, fences and other non-crop areas.

• Plant/ weed quarantine law etc.

Physical (manual and mechanical) weed management in jute 2.1 Hand weeding and hand pulling

Hand weeding is the oldest method of weed control. Though it is time consuming, costly, labour intensive method, hand weeding is the most widely used weed control practice in the tropical areas due to the reduction of fear of toxic residue in the field (Adenawoola et al., 2005) [1] . Hand weeding at 21 and 42 DAS was statistically similar to the treatment, application of fluazifop -p-butyl at 0.4 and 0.6 kg a.i. per ha at 21 DAS (Gogoi et al., 1992) [16,17] . Guha and Das (1998) [18] reported that two hand weedings are better than the several times hand hoeing in jute. Ghorai (2007) [19] mentioned that soil solarization is a safe method which can give higher fibre yield of jute over the manual weeding and herbicidal control of weeds. It effectively controls annual weeds but not perennial weeds. Manual labourers use small implements e.g. khurpi which is useful to remove the annual weeds along with roots and thus it could be manual cum mechanical in nature. It has been observed that two hand weeding, first at 15-21 days and second at 35-40 days after sowing give the season long weed control in jute.

Wheel hoeing

Weeding with wheel hoe or nail weeder is very efficient especially in line sown jute crop. Wheel hoeing at 20-25 days and one hand weeding at 35-40 days after sowing gives excellent control of weed in jute. It also conserves the soil moisture at early stage of crop growth especially under rainfed condition because weeding through nail weeder results soil mulching.

Nail weeder

CRIJAF developed a new weeding implement called nail weeder which contains contains 2-15 nails fixed at 3 cm apart in a series each nails are 0.9-0.8 cm in thick, one scrapper and one tyne to control young composite weed flora including germinating one from line sown field at very early stage (5-7 DAS) with minimum disturbance to main crop seedlings. (Banerjee, 2020) [4] . CRIJAF Nail Weeder used at 4-5 DAS controlled 80 to 85% of composite weeds flora and increased fibre yield in jute (Ghorai et al., 2012). in the dry months. c) During its operation, it pulverises the soil d) Nail weeder also helps in line arrangement and thinning of broadcast jute. e) As it is a mechanical approach of weed control so there is no toxic effect of herbicide on environment.

Raking

Weeding is done by bullock drawn soil combining implement locally known as bida in West Bengal and Bangladesh. In broadcast field 2 raking are done, first is done when crop is 5-6 cm tall followed by next one after 2 weeks.

Soil solarization

Soil solarization by clear and black polythene (200-400 guage) raised the soil temperature up to 54 0 C in 0-5 cm soil profile. It kills the sprouted grass, sedges and broad leaf weeds and reduces the weed load in jute field. Clear polythene reduces weed emergence by 45-78% at 21 DAS. Soil solarization is a safe method gives higher fibre yield over manual and chemical weeding processes.

Cultural method

It is an old age practice of weed management. The cultural methods are the manipulation of agronomic practices in such a way that they become more favourable to crop growth over weeds.These methods are not only cost effective but also ecofriendly. "A good crop is the best weed killer" was stated by Fryer (1983).

Proper seedbed preparation

Fine seed bed is required for jute sowing as the seeds are very small in size, for early establishment of the crop and more competitive over weed. (TK Das Book -Weed Science Basics and Applications) [12] .

Seed priming

Primed seeds that sprout higher and more synchronously can provide a robust crop stand with quick canopy growth, which gives rice plants an early edge against weeds. Primed seeds produced a strong seedling stand that increased rice's resistance to weeds and resilience to environmental stress.

Proper depth of sowing

Shallow sowing usually at 2-3 cm depth is a pre requisite for uniform germination and early establishment of crop.

Sowing time

Sowing time is one of the deciding factor for the occurance and intensity of weeds.Early sowing of suitable varieties helps to escape heavy weed growth which begins just after onset of pre monsoon showers. If sowing of jute is delayed by 3-4 weeks, the seedling has to come up with vigorous flush of weeds that appear with the onset of monsoon. (Ghorai et al, 2013) [20] .

Method of sowing

Line sowing of jute with 25cm * 7 cm and optimum plant population (5.5 -6 lakhs /ha) facilitate the intercultural practices, resulting in competitive advantage of Jute crops. Line sowing with multi row seed drill is very effective in this situation.

Method of cultivation and resistant sp.

The growth of the crop is more competitive against weed by selection of resistant cultivars, adjusting plant geometry, seed rate, spacing etc. Its favour against weeds and give an initial advantage in the early growth stage.

Intercropping

Intercropping of short duration, quick growing and early maturing crops like moong (Variety: Pant Mung -4, Pant mung -5) supresses the weed growth @ 40-50 percent (Ghorai et al, 2010) and intercropping of Summer raddish or red amaranthus results suppression of weed growth @ 22-25% gives additional revenue to small and marginal farmers (Ghorai et al, 2008) [14] .

Time of fertilizer application

Nitrogen influences equally crops and weeds particularly grassy weeds. Skipping of basal nitrogen in jute is beneficial because during initial 12-15 days of sowing crops get the food from the seed so no need of additional nitrogen. If basal nitrogen applied then it acts as the food for the prevailing weeds.

Stale seed bed

The stale or false seed bed technique is used to control broad Spectrum weed species in jute. A number of days before sowing of the crop the soil preparation of seedbed is done which promotes the germination of weed due to exposure to light then destruction of the emerging weed seedling with minimal soil disturbance. (Mohler, 2001) [31] .

The control of emerging weed seedlings is mostly done by herbicides (glyphosate) (Heatherly et al., 1993 and Oliver et al., 1993) [21,33] and sometime by nonchemical control methods like flame weeding and harrowing (Caldwell and Mohler, 2001 and Rasmussen, 2004) [7,31,34] . Stale seedbed with glyphosate @1.25 and 2.50 kg/ha + 2% (NH4)2 SO4 reduced the broadspectrum weeds and did not induce the phytotoxicity to the jute seedling even at 0 days of application (same day of application) and did not shown any harmful effects on bacteria, actinomycetes and fungal population in soil.

Bilogical Method

In India aquatic weed are satisfactorily controlled by the release Of Chinese grass carp. In Pakistan promising results has been obtained in control Cyperus rotundas using an insect known as Althesapeuta cyperi.

Organic method

Mulching: Use of rice-straw mulch (10-15 t/ha) reduced the production of dry matter of weeds by 68-82% compared with manual weeding twice and yielded more jute fibre compared with the latter method (3.75 t/ha). Mulches also create a physical barrier by forming a layer near the soil surface that reduces the ability of weed seedlings to photosynthesize. (Crutchfield et al, 1986, Chalker -scott, 2007) [8, 9] . The mulched plots maintained better hydrothermal regime of soil [maintained lower soil temperature (6-8OC) and higher moisture (18.0-23.4%) compared with bare soil (12.6-18.0%) cultivation] in hot summer months. This better soil-water environment and weed suppression by mulching increased the jute-fibre yield compared with control. It made the second manual weeding redundant.

Cropping management 6.1 Cropping and competition method

Smother crops also known as competitive crops have great value in weed control program because they compete with weeds for water, light and nutrients. The competitive crop must be one that grows quickly producer an abundance of shade and can be harvested before the weed plants matures to permit cultivation and destruction of mature weed plants which will result reduced re-infestation of those weeds that were present previously. The principal competitive crops for weed control for our condition might be Arhar (Cajanus Cajan), Sugarcane (Saccharum officianarum), Mesta (Hibiscus sabdariffa), Mashkalai (Phaheolus mungo), Cowpeas (Vigna sinensis) etc.

Crop rotation

If one type of crop has been grown year after year in the same land characteristic weeds of particular crop tend to accumulate.

By proper rotation and sequence of crop results healthy growth

Of the different crop and reduces accumulation of particular prevalent weed of the crop field. In Bangladesh jute is often cultivated in traditional rice fields to control rice weeds.

Chemical Method

• Unlike other crops the herbicide use in jute is less by the farmers because • Jute cultivation is largely practiced by small and marginal farmers who often perceive herbicides as costly, as the value of family labour used for manual weeding is generally not accounted for.

CRIJAF herbicide applicator

This is a tool used to apply non selective herbicides (Glyphosate and Paraquat etc.) in broadcast sown jute or in between jute crop rows (15 DAE) to control composite weed flora. This controls 80 to 85 per cent of the total weed flora, one hand weeding is required to control rest of the weeds from within the rows.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354162873_hot_water_application_by_crijaf_herbicide_applicator_for_ early_composite_we

Herbicide application by drone

Jute crop exceeds optimum spraying height by 40-50 days after sowing and therefore conventional manual spraying of pesticides becomes difficult at mid and later stages of crop growth.

Moreover, manual spraying leads to non-uniform pesticide application, poor penetration of active ingredient into the dense canopy and low application efficiency leading to inadequate control of disease and pests.

https://icar.org.in/en/agri-drone-demonstration-icar-crijaf [11] observed that the application of pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha⁻¹ one day prior to sowing, followed by hand weeding at 35 days after sowing, was the most effective treatment for weed management, in superior fibre yield and a higher benefit-cost ratio compared to other herbicidal options. • Application of fluchloralin at 1.0 kg ha⁻¹ as a pre-plant spray three days before sowing, followed by a single hand weeding at 35 DAS, produced fibre yields similar to those obtained with two manual weedings carried out at 21 and 35 DAS (Asokaraja and Jeyaraman, 1995; Mishra and Bhol, 1996) [3,32] . • Ghorai et al. (2008) [14] reported that applying butachlor at 1.0-3.0 kg ha⁻¹, 7-10 days prior to sowing, in combination with one hand weeding at 25-30 DAS effectively suppressed all weed species in the jute field, including Cyperus rotundus. • The Director's Report of ICAR-CRIJAF (2009) [22] indicated that the application of butachlor 50% EC at 0.83-1.0 kg a.i. ha⁻¹, applied from seven days before sowing up to three days after sowing, effectively reduced weed pressure for about three weeks and successfully controlled Cyperus difformis infestation in jute-growing regions. • Majumdar et al. (2010) [29] reported that the combined use of one hand weeding with trifluralin at 0.75 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ resulted in a significantly higher fibre yield compared to the untreated control. This treatment also maintained considerably greater levels of available nutrients than the other herbicide-based treatments. • Datta et al. (2017) [13] found that the application of quizalofop-ethyl at 100 g ha⁻¹ at 30 DAS, supplemented with hand weeding at 15 DAS, produced the highest fibre yield and achieved the maximum benefit-cost ratio among all herbicidal treatments • Das et al. (2008) [10] reported that mulching with wheat straw at 10 t ha⁻¹ resulted in the highest • Benefit-cost ratio, while the intercropping system of jute with red amaranthus ranked second in terms of economic returns. Ghorai et al. (2010) demonstrated that perennial weeds such as Cyperus rotundus can be effectively managed in jute through the combined use of appropriate tillage and sowing practices. Land preparation using a rotavator followed by ridge and furrow formation with a cultivator facilitates the exposure of Cyperus tubers. These tubers remain shallowly positioned on the ridges and can be easily removed manually during their germination stage, around 8-10 DAS.

Integration of tillage and method of sowing

Integration of stale seedbed and herbicides

This approach is effective in reducing infestation by a wide range of weed species. Adoption of a stale seedbed for 20 days, followed by the application of glyphosate at 1.25 kg ha⁻¹ along with 2% ammonium sulphate, significantly suppressed weed growth and did not cause injury to jute seedlings even when sowing was done two days after application. In stale seed bed technique the following herbicides are applied on established composite weed flora at about 10 days before sowing of jute: • Glyphosate -2.5 Kg / ha • Glyphosate -2.5 kg / ha + 2,4 -D: 2 kg /ha • Glyphosate -2.5 kg / ha + pyrazosulfuron ethyl: 60 g/ha.

Future strategies for weed management in jute cultivation

In our country, weeds found in jute fields play an important role as a potential source of fodder, especially because there is very limited fallow land available for grazing. Utilizing weeds removed during jute thinning can help reduce the shortage of fodder for dairy farming. In addition, tender jute plants are widely consumed as vegetables in both rural and urban areas. However, if chemical weed control methods are applied, neither the weeds nor jute leaves can be safely used for fodder or human consumption due to harmful chemical residues. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on cultural practices along with physical and mechanical weed control methods.

Under cultural weed management, the following practices can be adopted:

• Use of clean and pure seed: Jute seeds should be free from weed contamination, as seeds are a common source of weed introduction into fields. • Adjustment of sowing time: Since weed germination is influenced by seasonal conditions, modifying the sowing date of jute can help suppress weed emergence. • Selection of weed-tolerant Different jute varieties show varying levels of competitiveness against weeds; therefore, cultivars with better weed tolerance should be preferred. • Proper crop rotation: Growing crops that are not associated with specific jute weeds can help break weed cycles and reduce their infestation. • Optimum but economical seed rate: Using a relatively higher seed rate can promote dense crop cover, which suppresses weed growth and lowers weeding costs. Excess young jute plants can then be harvested and utilized as vegetables.

Conclusion

It is concluded that no single weed management technique is sufficient to keep the number of weeds in jute production under control. To keep the weeds under control and increase jute yield, a careful combination of multiple techniques (Integrated Weed management) is required. In order to effectively control weeds in jute and achieve the desired yield, attention should be paid to integrated weed management packages that include appropriate herbicides in addition to human or mechanical weeding.The highest fibre yield in jute could be achieved with 2 hand weeding at 21 DAE and 35 DAE as a mechanical weed control option. Among the chemical weed management treatments, application of quizalofop ethyl 5% EC @60g a.i. ha-1 and Ethoxysulfuron @100g ha-1 at 20 DAS when applied alone could effectively control all the catagories of weeds with reduction in cost of production than manual weeding. In case of integrated weed management, quizalofop ethyl 5% EC @ 60g a.i. ha-1 + Ethoxysulfuron @ 100g ha-1 at 20 DAS + 1 hand weeding at 35 DAS treatment could provide the best and cost effective weed control with obtaining statistically at par fibre yield with the manual weeding twice.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementI would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to Dr. Pritam Ghosh who gave the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic "Weed Management of Jute" , which help me to learn a lot of things related to weeds of jute and their management strategies.

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