Effect of integrated weed management on weed dynamics and economics in finger millet

Introduction

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) is minor millet with several edible and industrial uses. It has several vernacular names all over the world, but it is known as ragi in India. India continued to be the major producer of finger millet with cultivated area of 12.48 lakh ha and average yields of 19.77 lakh tonnes/ha, during 2024-25 (DA &FW, GoI, 2024-25) [1] and is one of the major staple foods of farming communities in some of the Indian states. Despite all the facts, both the growth and productivity of the crop are in declining trend due to several biotic and abiotic stresses. Rao et al. (2015) [2] revealed that in un-weeded plot, weed competetion causes significant reduction in finger millet yield by 50-70%. Echinochloa colona, Digitaria sangunalis, Cynodon dactylon, Panicum miliacea, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Cyperus rotundus, Amaranthus viridis, Eleusine indica, Celosia argentia, Commelina benghalensis, Euphorbia geniculate etc. are the major weed species found in finger millet crop.

Materials and Methods

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomical Research Farm, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi during Kharif 2023 under rainfed medium land condition in sandy loamy soil having pH 5.54, available nitrogen (232.12 kg/ha), phosphorus (36.21 kg/ha) and potassium (136.24 kg/ha. Total quantity of phosphorus and potassium were applied as basal, while nitrogen was applied as two splits i.e, 50% as basal and 50% at 30 DAS. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replication having 14 treatments comprising of hand weeding, pre-plant incorporation and pre-emergence application of oxyflourfen 50 g/ha, post emergence application of bispyribac sodium 15 g/ha and 20 g/ha and their combination with hand weeding. Spraying was done by flat fan nozzle at spray volume of 500 litre/ha. The required quantity of herbicide was dissolved in measured quantity of water and sprayed uniformly as per the treatment.

The data on weed density and dry weight was transformed to square root transformation √𝑋 + 0.5 to normalize their distribution before analysis. The experimental data were subjected to standard statistical analysis.

Result and Discussion

Weed density at 30, 60 and 90 DAS

In the experimental field the relative weed density of major weed species as compared to total weeds present in the plots were as follows: Cyperus rotundus L. 36.81%, Digitaria sanguinalis 17.95%, Commelina nodifolia L. 11.71%, Amaranthus viridis L. 8.90%, Ageratum conyzoides L. 4.41% and Commelina bengalensis L. 3.57%. Mukherjee et al. (2008) [3] , Haider et al. (2007) [4] , Upasani et al. (2012) [5] and Raj et al. (2013) [6] have also reported Commelina benghalensis L. as dominant broad leaved weed associated in the experimental field, where as Upasani et al. (2012) [5] and Raj et al. (2013) [6] observed Cyperus species as dominant sedges in the experimental field. The application of pre-emergence herbicide even though had suppressive effect on grasses and broad leaved weeds, but the effect was acceptable up to initial 15-20 days. These results are in accordance with the Hatti et al. (2016) [7] . Application of oxyfluorfen at 50 g/ha (PE) + hand weeding recorded reduced weed density during all the crop growth stages ie., 89.68%, 86.10%, 64.58%, and 79.43% reduction in broad leaf, grassy, sedge, and total weeds at 30 DAS and 80.97 %, 88.15 %, 88.05 %, and 85.77 %, at 60 DAS, respectively, 84.69 %, 89.07 %, 81.82 %, and 86.04 % at 90 DAS as compared to the weedy check. (Table 1

Yield and economics of finger millet

Managing weeds enhanced the yield and economic return as compared to weedy check. Among integrated weed management, application of oxyfluorfen 50 g/ha (PE) + hand weeding at 20 DAS recorded maximum grain yield (3066 kg/ha), straw yield (5281 kg/ha), WI 3.67%. net return (₹87049/ha) and B:C ratio (3.62) with minimum WI ie., 3.67%. This might have resulted from effective suppression of weed growth.

Conclusion

Based on the one-year experimentation it can be concluded that among herbicidal treatments application of oxyfluorfen 50 g/ha (PE) + hand weeding (20 DAS) has been identified as most effective for suppressing broad-leaved, grassy weeds and sedges weeds and fetching more yield and economic returns of finger millet.

References

1. DA& FW. Annual Report 2024-25. Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi; 2024.
2. Rao AN, Ladha JK, Wani SP. Weeds and weed control in finger millet in India-a review. In: 25th Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Hyderabad; 2015.
3. Maity SK, Mukherjee PK. Integrated weed management in dry direct-seeded rainy season rice (Oryza sativa). Indian Journal of Agronomy. 2008;53(2):116-120.
4. Haider J, Patra AK. Effect of chemical weed control methods on productivity of transplanted rice (Oriza sativa). Indian Journal of Weed Science. 2007;52(2):111-113.
5. Upasani RR, Kumari P, Thakur R, Singh MK. Effect of seed rate and weed control methods on productivity and profitability of wetland rice under medium land condition. Indian Journal of Weed Science. 2012;44(2):98-100.
6. Raj SK, Mathew R, Jose N, Leenakumary S. Evaluation of early post emergence and post emergence herbicides on weed control and productivity of direct seeded puddled rice in Kuttanad. Indian Journal of Weed Science. 2013;45(3):159-162.
7. Hatti V, Ramachandrappa BK. Influence of conservation tillage and nutrient management practices on the performance of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and weed growth under dryland afisols of southern Karnataka. Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2016;7(3):495-498.
8. How to cite this article: Kumari J, Barla S, Binjha KK, Singh SK, Majhi S. Effect of integrated weed management on weed dynamics and economics in finger millet. International Journal of Research in Agronomy. 2026;9(10):29-34. doi: https://www.doi.o rg/10.33545/2618060X.2026.v9.i10a.6746