Effect of different tillage and weed management treatments on growth and yield of soybean

A field experiment was conducted, during 2019-20 to 2021-22 at Akola, Maharashtra to study the effect of tillage (conventional, reduced, minimum and zero tillage) and herbicides (diclosulam, propaquizafop + imazethapyr, farmers practice and weedy check) on soybean productivity. The total weed biomass and soybean yield were significantly influenced by various tillage practices at all stages of crop growth. Conventional tillage recorded statistically significant minimum weed biomass, higher number of soybean pods/plant, soybean seed weight/m2, soybean grain yield/ha and economic returns than rest of the tillage treatments. The next best response was recorded with reduced tillage followed by minimum tillage. The zero tillage recorded the highest weed biomass. Amongst herbicidal treatments tested, minimum weed biomass, maximum soybean yield and economic benefit was recorded with pre-emergence application (PE) of diclosulam 0.026 kg/ha followed by (fb) post-emergence application of (PoE) propaquizafop + imazethapyr 0.125 kg/ha.