Effect of Weed Management Practices on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub]

The growth, yield attributes and yield of clusterbean were influenced by various weed management treatments. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of different weed management practices on growth, yield attributes and overall yield. An agronomic investigation was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Mandor, affiliated with the Agriculture University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, during the Kharif season of 2018. The experimental design utilized a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The experiment encompassed ten treatments: W1 - weedy check, W2 - weed-free, W3 - pendimethalin at 750 g/ha (pre-emergence), W4 - imazethapyr at 40 g/ha (early post-emergence), W5 - pendimethalin + imazethapyr at 750 g/ha (pre-emergence), W6 - imazethapyr + imazamox at 50 g/ha (early post-emergence), W7 - pendimethalin at 750 g/ha (pre-emergence) + 1 hand weeding (25 days after sowing), W8 - imazethapyr at 40 g/ha (early post-emergence) + 1 hand weeding (35 days after sowing), W9 - pendimethalin + imazethapyr at 750 g/ha (pre-emergence) + 1 hand weeding (25 days after sowing), and W10 - imazethapyr + imazamox at 50 g/ha (early post-emergence) + 1 hand weeding (35 days after sowing). The early post-emergence application of imazethapyr + imazamox at 50 g/ha along with one hand weeding at 35 days after sowing resulted in significantly enhanced growth, yield attributes and overall yield. This treatment exhibited higher values for parameters such as dry matter per plant (g), plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 1000-seed weight (g), yields of both seed and stover and harvest index. Additionally, this treatment was comparable in effectiveness to the application of imazethapyr at 40 g/ha (early post-emergence) + 1 hand weeding at 35 days after sowing and the weed-free condition. The application of imazethapyr + imazamox at 50 g/ha + 1 hand weeding at 35 days after sowing emerged as a promising strategy during the Kharif season for achieving the highest yield and net monetary returns in clusterbean cultivation.