2,4-D, Economics, Finger millet, Nutrient management, Pyrazosulfuron, Rainfed agro-ecosystem, Weed management

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of integrated weed and nutrient management treatments on weed dynamics, crop growth, yield and economics of finger millet under rainfed agroecosystem of eastern India. Experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Four weed management treatments were tested, including weedy check, hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 days after seeding (DAS), pre-emergence application (PE) of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 20 g/ha followed by (fb) hand weeding (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 of 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN), 75% RDN (inorganic nitrogen)+25% RDN as farm yard manure (FYM), 50% RDN (IN) +50% RDN (FYM), 50% RDN (IN)+25% RDN (FYM)+25% RDN vermicompost (VC). Among the treatments, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl 20 g/ha fb HW once at 30 DAS proved the most effective in managing the weeds throughout critical crop growth period. Application of 100 % RDN gave significantly higher crop grain and straw yields. Economic analysis indicated that HW twice at 25 and 45 DAS had significantly the highest gross, net returns, B:C ratio, production and economic efficiency as compared to weedy check and pyrazosulfuron 20 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D 0.50 kg/ha PoE at 25 DAS. Significantly higher gross, net returns, B:C ratio, production and economic efficiency were observed with 100% RDN.