Productivity of summer greengram (Vigna radiata) under different nitrogen levels and weed management practices

A field investigation was carried out during summer season, 2022 at ARS, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, SOADU, Bhubaneswar to study the effect of nitrogen levels and weed management practices on Weed growth and productivity of summer greengram (Vigna radiata L.). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications comprising fifteen treatment combinations. Treatments consisted of three nitogen levels in main plot and five weed management practices in subplot. The predominant weeds in the experimental plots were Poa annua, Digitaria sanguinalis, Echinochloa colona, Cleome viscose, Ageratum conyzoides, Portulaca oleracea, and Melochia corchorifolia. Results revealed that among the different levels of nitrogen, the lowest density and dry weight of grasses, broadleaved and total weeds was recorded with application of 75% N. Among the weed management practices, two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAS, registered significantly lowest density and biomass of all categories of weeds as well as total weeds and it was closely followed by pre-emergence application of ready-mix pendimethalin + imazethapyr 0.75 kg/ ha at 45 DAS. Application of 125% N registered highest seed (832.30 kg/ ha) and stover yield (2189.64 kg/ ha) and along with high yield attributing characters like number of pods/ plant (25.54) and seeds/ pod (6.39) as compared to others and it was at par with application of 100% N. Among the weed management practices, two hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAS recorded highest seed yield (930.56 kg/ ha) and stover yield (2397.11 kg/ ha) of greengram along with higher yield attributing characters like number of pods/ plant (27.73), seeds/ pod (7.29) and number of branches/ plant (8.94) and it was closely followed by pre-emergence application of ready-mix pendimethalin + imazethapyr at 0.75 kg/ ha.