Abstract

                                Field experiment conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in finger millet during the rainy season of 1998 and 1999 revealed that two intercultivations at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS) + one hand weeding on 35 DAS or pre-emergence application of Isoproturon @ 0.5 kg ai ha as spray effectively controlled the weeds resulting in lesser weed population and weed dry matter production (DMP), which in turn favourably influenced the yield attributes, yield and economic returns of rainfed finger millet compared to other weed control treatments. The unweeded check recorded the maximum weed population and weed DMP and hence, resulted in drastic yield reduction in finger millet under rainfed conditions.

Key words : Weed management, Pre emergence