Indian Journal of Weed Science 48(2): 199–201, 2016
DOI: 10.5958/0974-8164.2016.00049.6
Weed management in onion
Sanjay Kumar Singh*, Radhey Shyam, Shanta Chaudhary and L.M. Yadav
Tirhut College of Agriculture, Rajendra Agriculture University, Dholi, Muzafferpur, Bihar
Received: 5 April 2016; Revised: 8 June 2016
ABSTRACT
The experiment involved nine treatments replicated thrice in randomized block design. Significantly
lower density and dry matter of weeds were recorded with weed free followed by oxyflurofen 0.30 kg/ha
before planting fb one hand weeding of 40-60 DATS after transplanting and combined application of
oxyflurofen at 0.30 kg/ha before planting + quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.05 kg/ha at 30 days after transplanting.
The average bulb weight, plant height, marketable bulb and total bulb yield were also highest in weed
free while it was at par to oxyflurofen at 0.30 kg/ha before planting fb one hand weeding of 40-60 days
after transplanting and oxyflurofen at 0.30 kg/ha + quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.05 kg/ha at before planting and 30
days after transplanting. The maximum B: C ratio of 2.31 was obtained in combined spray of oxyflorfen
and quizalofop-p-ethyl at before planting and 30 days after transplanting of crop.
Key words: Allium cepa, Onion, Oxyflurofen, Pendimethalin, Quizalofop-p-ethyl
Onion (Allium cepa L.) belonging to the family in texture, alkaline in reaction (pH:8.51), low in
Alliaceae is one of the important bulbous vegetable available N (219 kg/ha), available P (14.63 kg/ha),
crop of economic importance and widely cultivated available K (109 kg/ha) and low in organic carbon
all over the world, with particular distribution in the content (0.43).The experiment with nine treatments
Asian continent and in Europe. It is mainly used for was laid out in randomized block design in three
cuisine and culinary purpose and also preventing replications (Table 1). Onion var. ‘Agrifound light
coronary heart diseases and other aliments (Sangha red’ (52 days old seedling) was transplanted at a
and Bariag 2003). Due to its poor competitive ability spacing of 20 x 10 cm apart on December 14, 17 and
with its slow initial growth and lack of adequate 19 during 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Well
foliage makes onion weak against weeds. In addition, decomposed FYM 10 t/ha was applied uniformly at
their cylindrical upright leaves do not shade the soil to the time of field preparation and crop was fertilized
block weed growth. Un-controlled weed growth with 100:80:80 kg NPK/ha. All the herbicides were
reduces the bulb yield up to 40-80% depending upon applied at standard time of their application by using a
the nature of intensity and duration of weed Maruti foot sprayer fitted with flat fan nozzle with
competition in onion field. Hand weeding is a spray volume of 700 liter water/ha. Observations on
common method of weed control adopted by farmers density of weeds and their dry weight were taken at
but comparatively this method is costly and time 90 DAT stage of onion crop. The crop was harvested
consuming. Thus use of herbicides is one of the on April 28, May 01 and May 02 in the year 2010,
options left with the farmers to eliminate crop weed 2011 and 2012, respectively. The bulbs were
competition at early growth stage of crop. Therefore, harvested from net plot and yield was recorded after
this study was conducted to compare the grading. The data on density and dry weight of grassy
effectiveness of different control methods of weeds weeds were subjected to square root transformation
in onion crop. i.e. x 0 .5 prior to statistical analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Field experiment was conducted to compare Effect on weeds
various weed management practices in onion at
Tirhut College of Agriculture, Dholi, Muzafferpur The field were infested with Phalaris minor
during consecutive three Rabi season from year 2009 among grasses, Chenopodium album, Melilotus alba,
to 2012. The soil of experimental site was sandy loam M. indica, Parthenium hysterophorus, Anagallis
arvensis, Physalis minima among broad-leaved
*Corresponding author: sanjay_singh2005@yahoo.com weeds and Cyperus rotundus in sedges during all the
years.
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Weed management in onion
All the weed control treatments resulted was non-comparable to oxyflorfen fb one hand
significant reduction in total weed density and dry weeding at 40-60 DAT but statistically superior to all
matter accumulation in comparison to weedy check other treatments. The average bulb weight in onion
(Table 1). Oxyfluorfen 0.30 kg/ha fb one hand varied from 49.99 g (weedy check) to 70.54 g (weed
weeding, oxyfluorfen 0.30 kg + quizalofop-p-ethyl free) with a mean value of 60.89 g. Among the
0.05 kg/ha, pendimethalin + quizalofop-p-ethyl (1.0 + herbicide, heaviest bulb weight (68.76 g) was
0.05 kg/ha) and oxyfluorfen 0.30 kg/ha fb recorded in oxyflorfen fb one HW at 45 DAT, which
quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.05 kg/ha were statistically at par was also at par to oxyflurofen + quizalofop-p-ethyl.
with each other in reducing weed density at 90 DAT. The highest no. of leaves was also recorded in
The similar trends were also found in total weed dry oxyflorfen + quizalofop-p-ethyl, which was similar to
matter except oxyfluorfen at 0.30 kg/ha fb other weed control treatments except alone
quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.05 kg/ha, which recorded treatments of oxyflorfen and pendimethalin. The
significantly higher weed biomass than others. These variability in growth and yield parameter are due to
findings were in confirmation with Kumar and effectiveness of weed control methods which
Mourya (2006) and Kumar et al. (2014). The result ultimately increased the nutrient availability for the
on weed control efficiency (WCE) showed variability crop (Marwat et al. 2003).
among different weed management schedules in Weeds in weedy check reduced the onion total
onion. The WCE of different herbicide treatment bulb yield by 32.7% over weed free (Table 2).
varied from 39% (pendimethalin alone) to 57.4% Among the weed control treatments, weed free
(oxyflorfen fb one hand weeding). Maximum WCE
recorded the highest marketable bulb yield (35.65 t/
was recorded in weed free followed by oxyflorfen fb
ha), which was statistically similar to oxyflourfen +
one hand weeding at 40-60 DAT (57.5%) and
one hand weeding (36.20 t/ha) and oxyfluorfen +
oxyfluorfen + quizalofop-p-ethyl (56.1%). Low weed
quizalofop -p-ethyl, but significantly differed from
index in oxyflorfen fb one hand weeding at 40-60
all other treatment. The trend was also same with
DAT and oxyfluorfen + quizalofop-p-ethyl indicated
total bulb yield of onion. The findings was in close
that competition due to weeds was lowest in these
treatments as compared to others. Similar results proximation to Dudi et al. (2011) a nd
were also reported by Sinare et al. (2014). Chattopadhyay et al. (2011). Follow up application
of oxyfluorfen and pendimethalin with quizalofop-p-
Effect on crop ethyl resulted increase in marketable and total bulb
The vegetative growth and yield contributing yield of onion than its alone application at before
character were varied significantly owing to different planting and 30 DAT but all these were at par to each
weed control treatments (Table 2). The significantly other. Weed dry matter also showed negatively
highest plant height (60.27 cm) and average weight of correlated with marketable and total bulb yield (r = -
bulb (70.54 g) was obtained with weed free and it 0.88 and r= -0.90) and accounted for 77 and 80%
variation, respectively due to different weed control
Table1. Effect of different weed control treatments on weed density, weed dry matter, weed control efficiency and weed
index in onion (pool data of three year)
Weed
Total weed Total weed Weed
control
Treatment density dry matter index
efficiency
(no./m2) (g/m2) (%)
(%)
Oxyflurofen 0.30 kg/ha before planting and 30 DAT 5.75 (32.6) 9.08 (82.3) 41.2 28.1
Oxyflurofen fb quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.30 fb 0.05 kg/ha before planting and 30 DAT 5.54 (30.3) 8.93 (79.3) 43.3 18.2
Oxyflurofen + quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.30+0.05 kg/ha at planting and 30 DAT 4.95 (24.0) 7.85 (61.4) 56.1 9.4
Pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha before planting and 30 DAT 5.73 (32.3) 9.24 (85.3) 39.0 28.0
Pendimethalin fb quizalofop-p-ethyl 1.0 fb 0.05 kg/ha before planting and 30 5.60 (30.8) 8.99 (80.4) 42.6 18.8
DAT
Pendimethalin + quizalofop-p-ethyl 1.0 + 0.05 kg/ha at planting and 30 DAT 5.45 (28.9) 8.64 (74.2) 47.0 14.4
Recommended practices (oxyflurofen fb one hand weeding) 0.30 kg/ha before 4.87 (23.3) 7.70 (59.5) 57.5 6.6
planting and 40-60 DAT
Weed free 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.0) 100.0 0.0
Weedy check 7.79 (60.6) 11.84(139.9) 0.0 32.7
LSD (P=0.05) 0.69 0.98 - -
Figure given in parentheses indicate actual values, fb= followed by
200
Sanjay Kumar Singh, Radhey Shyam, Shanta Chaudhary and L.M. Yadav
Table 2. Effect of weed management practices on vegetative growth, average weight and bulb yield of onion (pool data of
three year)
Plant Number Average Marketable Total
B:C
Treatment height of weight of bulb yield bulb yield
ratio
(cm) leaves bulb (g) (t/ha) (t/ha)
Oxyflurofen 0.30 kg/ha before planting and 30 DAT 54.4 6.2 54.2 25.97 26.02 2.03
Oxyflurofen fb quizalofop-p-ethyl 0.30 fb 0.05 kg/ha before 54.5 7.0 60.0 28.34 29.60 2.20
planting and 30 DAT
Oxyflurofen + quizalofop-p-ethyl (0.30 + 0.05) kg/ha at 56.7 8.7 65.7 32.12 32.80 2.31
planting and 30 DAT
Pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha before planting and 30 DAT 51.3 6.9 55.5 25.04 26.05 1.99
Pendimethalin fb quizalofop-p-ethyl (1.0 fb 0.05) kg/ha 53.5 8.3 59.4 28.51 29.38 2.10
before planting and 30 DAT
Pendimethalin + quizalofop-p-ethyl 1.0 + 0.05 kg/ha at 55.2 7.2 64.9 30.19 30.98 2.24
planting and 30 DAT
DOGR Recommended practices (oxyflurofen fb one hand 58.5 7.3 68.8 32.83 33.80 2.30
weeding) 0.30 kg/ha before planting and 40-60 DAT
Weed free 60.3 7.8 70.5 35.65 36.20 2.29
Weedy check 47.4 5.1 50.0 23.48 24.35 1.27
LSD (P=0.05) 3.4 1.6 3.1 3.97 3.68 -
y = -0.098x + 36.35 y = -0.096x + 36.98
R² = 0.800 R² = 0.770
M arketable bulb yield (t/ha)
r = -0.89 r =-0.87
Total bulb yield (t/ha)
Weed dry matter (g/m2) Weed dry matter (g/m2)
Fig. 1. Correlation between marketable bulb yield and Fig. 2. Correlation between total bulb yield and weed dry
weed dry matter matter
treatments (Fig. 1 and 2). The B:C ratio estimated in Dudi BS, Dhankar SK and Singh J. 2011. Effect of weed
different weed management practices indicated that management practices on yield and its component in onion,
pp. 254-255. In: Alliums: Current Scenario and Emerging
maximum B:C ratio of 2.31 in oxyflorfen +
trends, National symposium 12-14th March, 2011, Pune.
quizalofop-p-ethyl which was very close to
Kumar U, Prasad B and Chandra G. 2014. Effect of different
oxyflorfen fb one hand weeding at 40-60 DAT herbicides on growth, yield and weed flora of onion (Allium
(2.30) and weed free (2.29). cepa L.). Journal of Hill Agriculture 5(2): 207-210.
Kumar Naresh and Mourya IB. 2006. Effect of different
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT herbicides on growth and efficacy for weed control in onion
We gratefully acknowledge Directorate of Onion (Allium cepa L.) seed crop. Annals of Agricultural Research
27: 245-49.
and Garlic Research (ICAR), Rajgurunagar, Pune,
India for providing the financial hlp to carry out this Sangha JK and Bariag P. 2003. Efficacy of multiple dietary
therapies in reducing risk factor for coroner heart disease.
experiment under AINRP on Onion and Garlic. Journal of Human Ecology 14: 33-36.
Sinare RT, Andhale RP and Gautam M. 2014. Weed control in
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