Evaluation of combination of pre emergence and post emergence herbicides with minitractor weeding in sugarcane

Introduction

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a crucial C 4 crop in tropical and subtropical regions representing approximately 80% of the world's sugar production and 35% of ethanol production (Zegada Lizarazu et al., 2010) [13] . As the second-largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil, India contributes around 430.50 million tons from 5.09 million hectares, with an annual productivity of 84.4 tons/ha (Alteri, et al., 2017; Ram et al., 2024) [1,7] . The delayed germination, slow initial growth, wider row spacing and good supply of nutrients of the crop provide favorable conditions for different weed species infestation in Sugarcane. In sugarcane, weed infestation is always a major problem reduces the yield of the crop(Ramesh and Rathika, 2016) [8] . The control of weeds during critical period of crop-weed competition (which is 120 days) especially initial 90 days is very important so as to avoid yield loss The extent of yield loss may range from 10% to complete crop failure (Srivastava et al., 2005) [12] . Being a long duration crop, it is heavily infested with a variety of weeds. Nearly 150 weed species including annuals, perennials and parasitic weeds have been reported in sugarcane fields in different parts of India. The major weeds reported in sugarcane field were of sedges (Cyperus rotundus), grasses (Cynodon dactlyon, Panicum sp. Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Imperata cylindrica) and broad leaved weeds (Trianthema portulacastrum, Convolvulus arvensis, Striga asiatica, Portulaca oleraceae, Commelina benghalensis, Amaranthus viridis) (Rathika et al., 2023) [10] .

Cultural practices like ploughing, hand weeding and mulching are practiced to control the weeds. However, these methods are time consuming, labour intensive and expensive. Hand weeding is difficult due to non-availability of labour as well as high cost of weeding. Herbicides are easy to apply and aided in timely weed management. Both premergence and post mergence herbicides are used in sugarcane to manage the weeds. In this project Atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha on 3 DAP, PE herbicides are used and post mergence herbicide namely metirbuzin at 1.5kg/ha was applied on 25 DAP. This was combined with minitractor weeding (50, 80,120 DAP) and was compared with minitractor weeding at 30 days interval 30,60,90,120 &150 DAP.

Materials and Methods

The field experiment was conducted on 13.3.2024 in Field No12, SRS, Cuddalore. PE application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha was done on 3 DAP. POE application of metribuzin 1.5kg/ha was applied as per the technical programme on 25 DAP. After the metribuzin application, minitractor weeding was done on 50, 80,120 DAP. This was compared with the treatment Minitractor weeding was done at 30 days interval 30,60,90,120 &150 DAP. Earthing up using minitractor on 150 DAP is common in both the treatments. Weed dry weight, biometrical observation, yield attributes and yield were recorded and economics was worked out. [3] reported that the major weed flora were of 60 percent broad leaf weeds and 40 percent grassy weeds. Among broad leaf weeds viz., Euphorbia geniculata, Parthenium hysteorphorus, Digera arvensis, Merremia emerginata, Alternanthera sessilis, Lactuca runcinata, Portulaca oleracea, Chenopodium album were found as dominant. While, among grassy weeds viz., Cynodon dactylon, Brachiaria eruciformis, Cyperus rotundus were found as dominant. The major weeds reported in sugarcane field comprised of broad leaved weeds (Commelina benghalensis, Trianthema portulacastrum, Digera arvensis, Amaranthus viridis, Cleome gynandra and Ipomea spp), grassy weeds (Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Echinochloa colonum and Dinebra retroflexa) and sedges (Cyperus rotundus and Cyperus esculentus) (Anitta Fanish and Ragavan, 2020) [2] . The major weed flora in sugarcane field were of grassy weeds viz. Cynodon dactylon and Echinochloa crusgalli, broad leaved weeds viz., Parthenium hysterophorus and Trianthema portulocastrum and sedge viz., Cyperus rotundus (Maurya et al., 2020) [4] .

Results and Discussion

Weed Dry weight and Weed Control Efficiency

At 15 DAP, the weed dry weight was 0g/m 2 in atrazine applied treatment Pre-emergence herbicides like atrazine and oxyfluorfen, followed by post-emergence applications of glyphosate, have proven effective in controlling weed growth in sugarcane fields (Rajbir et al., 2024) [5] . and initially 26.4% reduced weed dryweight was recorded in minitractor weeding treatment when compared with unweeded control. At 30 DAP, atrazine +metribuzin applied plot has recorded 30g/m 2 and was observed with 88% WCE whereas minitractor weeding has recorded 54% weed control efficiency. At 60 DAP, 97% weed control efficiency was observed with PE application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha 3 DAP +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha 25DAP + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP. The weed dry weight was gradually reduced with minitractor weeding and observed with efficiency of 92-96%. At 150 DAP, Unweeded control has recorded weed dry weight of 628g/m 2 . [6] . Number of tillers were 6.9 with PE application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP and 5.6 with minitractor weeding 30,60,90,120 and 150 DAP. [9] .

Yield attributes and Yield

Quality parameters

Commercial cane sugar percentage was higher (13.28%) with the atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP and unweeded control has recorded 10.02%. Brix (%), Pol (%) and Purity (%) was with no difference for all the treatments.

Economics

The gross income was Rs. 2,16,200 and Rs. 2,27,000 was for atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP and minitractor weeding 30,60,90,120 and 150 DAP respectively. There was increased in cost due to minitractor weeding but this was lesser with hand weeding and the comparison was given in Table 6. Benefit cost ratio (2.4)was higher with atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP. minitractor weeding 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 DAP has recorded a benefit cost ratio of 2.18 and 1.49 with unweeded control.

Conclusion

The delayed germination, slow initial growth, wider row spacing and good supply of nutrients provide favorable conditions for different weed species infestation in Sugarcane. In sugarcane, weed infestation is always a major problem reduces the yield of the crop. At 60 DAP, 97% weed control efficiency was observed with PE application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha 3 DAP +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha 25 DAP + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP. The weed dry weight was gradually reduced with minitractor weeding and observed with efficiency of 92-96%. At 150 DAP, the weed dry weight was 628g/m2 with unweeded control. Yield was higher (148.57 t/ha) with the atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP. A 7t/ha was reduced with minitractor weeding 30,60,90,120 and 150 DAP(141.16t/ha). Benefit cost ratio (2.4)was higher with atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP. minitractor weeding 30,60,90,120 and 150 DAP has recorded a benefit cost ratio of 2.18 and 1.49 with unweeded control. Hence the integrated weed management capsule PE application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha 3

Acknowledgement

DAP +EPOE application of metribuzin at 1.5 kg/ha 25 DAP + Minitractor weeding on 50,80 and 120 DAP can be recommended for sugarcane.

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