IMPROVING CROP COMPETITIVE ABILITY OF FENNEL (FOENICULUM VULGARE MILL.) AGAINST WEEDS THROUGH INTEGRATION OF SOWING AND WEEDING TECHNIQUES

A field experiment was conducted to improve the crop competitive ability of fennel against weeds under rainfed conditions through integration of different sowing and weeding techniques at University Research Farm Chakwal Road Rawalpindi, Pakistan during the winter seasons of 2020- 21 and 2021-22. There were four methods of sowing (Ridge sowing, bed sowing, broadcast sowing and line sowing) and four methods of weeding (Control, manual, mechanical and chemical). The data was analyzed statistically by using statistics 8.1 software and results showed that weed free plot (two hand weeding at 45 and 75 DAS) was found more effective to control weeds in fennel and recorded lowest weed density, weed dry weight and highest weed mortality and weed control efficiency. Weed mortality percentage (29.3 %) and weed control efficiency (81.8 %) was maximum in manual weeding method and they were found non[1]significant in sowing methods. In case of production the maximum yield of fennel (493.1 kg/ha) was observed under line sowing method and minimum (64.3 kg/ha) in ridge sowing whereas, in case of weeding methods the maximum yield (509.9 kg/ha) was recorded in manual weeding method and minimum (220.7 kg/ha) under weedy check plot. Similarly, the benefit cost ratio (1.98 & 1.90) and net profitability (98.13 % & 89.88 %) was higher in line sowing method and manual weeding method respectively. So, line sowing with manual weeding method is recommended to decrease the crop weed competition under rainfed conditions for obtaining higher yield of fennel.