Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai during rabi 2009-2010 to study the effect of mulching and foliar spray of growth promoters on weed dynamics and growth attributes in annual red gram cv. APK1. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice. The main plot consisted of two treatments viz., mulching with crop residue and no mulch. Foliar spray of micronutrient mixture, NAA at 40ppm, Salicylic acid at 100 ppm, Brassinolide at 0.1 ppm, Triacontanol at 500 ppm and no spray were assigned to sub plot. The results showed that the main plot treatment of mulching with crop residue reduced the DMP of grasses, sedges and BLW weeds significantly. It has also recorded higher weed control efficiency at 40 and 60 DAS. Among the sub plot treatments, foliar pplication of growth promoter NAA at 40 ppm recorded lower DMP of weeds regardless of their characters and recorded higher weed control efficiency at 40 and 60 DAS. Greater increase in growth attributes viz., plant height, number of branches plant-1 and plant DMP was observed in the main plot treatment of mulching with crop residue. Under sub plot, significant increase in all the growth attributes was noticed in foliar spray of NAA at 40 ppm irrespective of stages.

Keywords: Annual redgram, Growth promoters, mulching, weed DMP, growth attributes.