Effect of early post emergence herbicides application on growth, yield and economics of soybean

Abstract

Soybean is also known as “Miracle crop” of the 21st century because of its multiple utilization. It has the highestprotein content (40-42%), 20 per cent oil and other vitamins. The crop has very high yielding capacity but its productivityin India and Karnataka are significantly lower when compared with world. One of the major reasons for the poor performanceof soybean is inadequate and timely weed control. Hence an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station,Hukkeri, Belagavi, Karnataka during kharif/rabi 2022-23 to evaluate the efficacy of early post emergence herbicides ongrowth and yield of soybean. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design by having 9 treatmentsof different early post emergence herbicide combinations which were replicated thrice. Results revealed that application ofFluazifop-p-butyl 11.1% w/w + fomesafen 11.1% w/w SL @1000 g ha-1 as Early post emergence herbicides recorded significantly higher growth parameters viz., higher number of branches (6.8 plant-1), higher total dry matter production ofsoybean at harvest (27.6 g plant-1) and leaf area index at 60 DAS and yield and yield attributes viz., seed yield plant-1(9.34 g), seed yield (2392 kg ha-1) and haulm yield (2800 kg ha-1) as compared to other treatments. Similarly, same treatmentalso recorded significantly higher gross (`132556 ha-1) and net return (`89828 ha-1) as compared to rest of the treatments. However, most of the parameters were remained statistically similar with Sodium aceflourofen16.5% + clodinafop propargyl8% ECRM @ 1000 ml ha-1 and Imazethapyr 35% + Imazamox 35% WG RM @ 100 g ha-1 as Early post emergence herbicides.