Effect of integrated weed and nutrient management on weed dynamics, productivity and economics of barnyard millet

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated weed and nutrient management on weed dynamics, productivity and economics of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Link) under rainfed eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains. Factorial experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four weed management treatments, including weedy check, hand weeding (HW) twice at 25 and 45 days after seeding (DAS), pre-emergence application (PE) of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 20 g/ha followed by (fb) HW once at 30 DAS, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 20 g/ha PE fb post-emergence application (PoE) of 2,4-D 0.50 kg/ha at 25 DAS in combination with four integrated nutrient management (INM) treatments comprising: 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN), 75% RDN inorganic nitrogen (IN)+25% RDN farmyard manure (FYM), 50% RDN (IN) + 50% RDN (FYM) and 50% RDN (IN) + 25% RDN (FYM) + 25% RDN vermicompost (VC). The HW twice at 25 and 45 DAS recorded lesser relative abundance, species wise weed density, total weed density and dry biomass at 20 and 40 DAS and was at par with pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 20 g/ha PE fb HW once at 30 DAS due to management of weeds during critical crop growth period and thereby improving overall crop growth and yield attributes. Application of 100% RDN recorded significantly higher grain yield, maximum gross returns, net returns, B-C ratio, and economic efficiency than other INM treatments. The HW twice at 25 and 45 DAS has recorded significantly highest gross, returns, net returns, B-C ratio and economic efficiency compared to weed management treatments. Thus, an effective weed management along with suitable integrated nutrient management is a sustainable and economically viable strategy for improving productivity of barnyard millet in rainfed conditions of Eastern India.