Abstract

A field investigation was carried out at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, during kharif 2009 and 2010 to evaluate the new formulation of oxyfluorfen (23.5% EC) on weed control in onion and their residual effect on succeeding crops. Based on two years field experimentation, it was found that pre-emergence application of oxyfluorfen (23.5% EC) at 400 g ha-1 gave significantly lower total weed density, weed dry weight and higher weed control efficiency at all the stages. Application of new formulation of oxyfluorfen (23.5% EC) at 200 g ha -1 as pre-emergence herbicide kept the weed density and dry weight below the economic threshold level and increased the bulb yield (15940 and 15610 kg ha -1 ) in onion. Succeeding crops like sunflower and pearl millet sown immediately after the harvest of onion was not affected by the residue of new formulation of oxyfluorfen at all different doses.

Keywords: weed density, weed control efficiency, yield, succeeding crops.