Effect of nitrogen and FYM on growth and yield of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) under variable weed control strategies

The field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India, during the Rabi season 2023-24 to evaluate the response of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) to nitrogen and FYM in relation to weed control strategies. A split-plot design with three replications was used as the experimental design. In main plots, four weed control treatments were applied, i.e., black plastic mulch, one-hand weeding followed by straw mulch, pendimethalin at 0.45 kg ha-1 followed by one- hand weeding and unweeded (control) treatment. In the sub plots four nutrient levels i.e., N1- 25 kg nitrogen ha-1 , N2- 25 kg nitrogen ha- 1 + FYM 15.0 t ha-1 , N3- 50 kg nitrogen ha-1 and N4- 50 kg nitrogen ha-1 + FYM 15.0 t ha-1 were kept. The results revealed that weed density and dry matter accumulation were significantly lower in black plastic mulch treatment compared to other weed management treatments and were significantly higher in the unweeded (control). Plant height, crop dry matter per plant, seed yield and biological yield were significantly higher in the black plastic mulch treatment than in other treatments. Among the nitrogen levels, growth and yield parameters were significantly higher in the 50 kg ha-1 of nitrogen + FYM 15.0 tonnes per hectare treatment compared to nitrogen alone @ 25 kg ha-1 . It was concluded that black plastic mulch combined with 50 kg ha-1 of nitrogen + FYM 15.0 tonnes per hectare resulted in better growth and yield parameters compared to all other treatments.