Assessment of different weed management practices on weed dynamics, growth and yield of Dill (Anethum graveolens L.)

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.), a medicinal and seed spice crop, highly susceptible to weed competition due to its slow early growth, resulting in a significant production loss. Weed management is critical for improving crop output and quality. A two-season rabi 2020-21 & 2021-22 field experiment was conducted on the Agronomy Farm at Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology in Udaipur, Rajasthan to assess the impact of various weed management practices on weed dynamics, growth characteristics and yield. The study used a randomized block design with thirteen treatments, including pre-emergence (PE) and post-emergence (POE) herbicides, inter-cultivation and hand weeding. Pre-emergence spraying of oxadiargyl at 100 g ha-1 reduced weed density and dry matter accumulation, resulting in the maximum weed control efficiency (93.09 %) at 30 days after sowing (DAS). The use of oxadiargyl at 75 g ha-1 PE followed by hand weeding at 40 DAS, resulted in maximum biological yield to the tune of 35.3 per cent over weedy check. The combination of chemical and manual weed control was critical as it increased resource efficiency by lowering competition for nutrient, moisture and light availability, resulting in increased growth and seed yields. The research has implications for promoting integrated weed management (IWM) of dill in which a combination of herbicides and manual approaches best suppress weeds while maximizing crop performance. This becomes a more sustainable and economically viable choice for growers, reducing work intensity while minimizing long-term labour use and improving long-term weed management and production potential.