Blackgram, weed competition, economics, fluchloralin, pendimethalin
Field experiments conducted during summer seasons for four years (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) and during kharif seasons for three years (2002, 2003 and 2005) showed that unchecked weeds caused a reduction of 41.2 and 41.6% in blackgram yield during the two respective seasons. In summer season, pendimethalin 0.75 kg/ha, pendimethalin 0.45 kg/ha+hand weeding (HW) 25 days after sowing (DAS), fluchloralin 0.675 kg/ha, two HW 25 & 40 DAS and weedy check recorded weed dry matter of 4.87, 3.45, 5.87, 3.40 and 23.6 q/ha and grain yield of 11.47, 11.75, 10.72, 11.95 and 7.02 q/ha with net returns of Rs. 10033, 10035, 9401, 9330 and 4828/ha, respectively. In kharif season, the respective treatments had weed dry matter of 4.16, 4.26, 4.93, 2.90 and 20.9 q/ha and grain yield of 10.43, 10.76, 10.60, 11.76 and 6.86 q/ha with net returns of Rs. 8577, 8649, 9233, 9064 and 4604/ha.