Gladiolus, Hand weeding, Herbicides, Integrated weed management

A field experiment was carried out during Rabi season from 2007-2010 at Chatha, Jammu to find out relative efficiency of weed management practices in gladiolus (Tagets erecta L.). Result revealed significant enhancement in spike yield with 2 hand weedings at 20 and 40 days after transplanting (6.05 t/ha) and pendimethalin 2 kg/ha + 1 hand weeding (5.79 t/ha), both of which were superior to weedy check (3.25 t/ha). The highest weed control efficiency (78.2%) was also achieved with 2 hand weedings, followed by pendimethalin + hand weding 76.9%). Application of pendimethalin along with hand weeding proved to be economical.