Coriander, density, productivity, weed control efficiency

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 2003-04 and 2004-05 at Udaipur to study the effect of integrated weed and nutrient management on weed density and productivity of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). Among the weed management practices, hand weeding twice (HW) at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) and preemergence application of pendimethalin at 1.0 kg/ha+hand weeding at 45 DAS were at par. These treatments significantly reduced the density and dry weight of weeds over other treatments and significantly increased yield attributes of coriander resulting in higher seed yield (1.58 and 1.57 t/ha) and net return (Rs. 23,930 and 24,072 /ha) as a result of higher weed control efficiency (88.50 and 88.14%) and lower weed index (0.63% of pendimethalin+HW), respectively. Chenopodium murale Spergula arvensis and Melilotus indica were the most pre-dominant weeds. Nutrient management did not significantly influence weed density. Application of 60 kg N+30 kg P+30 kg K+30 kg S/ha significantly increased yield attributes, seed yield, net returns and B : C ratio in comparison to N+P and N+P+K fertilization owing to lower weed index and registered higher seed yield by 18.0 and 8.36%, respectively.