Effect of Nano Encapsulated Pendimethalin on Growth Attributes of Rice

Weed infestation is a major problem in upland rice of Kerala. Pendimethalin is a selective pre-emergent herbicide used to control broad-leaved and grassy weeds in rice fields. However, herbicides like pendimethalin often face losses in the agroecosystem through various pathways, reducing their effectiveness and potentially contaminating the environment, including groundwater. Encapsulation of herbicides is an innovative method designed to enhance their efficacy while minimizing environmental contamination, making herbicide application more efficient for weed control. A field experiment was carried out at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala, India to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of Nano Encapsulated Pendimethalin (NEP) for weed management in upland rice. Synthesis of nano encapsulated pendimethalin was done at Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The study revealed that nano encapsulated pendimethalin had significant influence on growth attributes over normal commercial formulations. Among all the growth parameters Nano Encapsulated Pendimethalin (NEP) with 4% starch aqueous phase at 1.0 kg ha-1 showed comparable result with hand weeding at 15 and 30 Days After Sowing (DAS). The nano encapsulated formulation had a particle size of 486.6 nm and zeta potential of -18 mV.