Effect of weed management practices on growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) under rainfed conditions

A field experiment was carried out during kharif 2010 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, G. K. V. K., Bangalore to know the effect of weed management practices on growth and yield of the cowpea. In this study, different weed control methods (chemical, mechanical and hand weeding) were compared for their efficiency to control various weed species under rainfed conditions. Among different weed control methods, application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a. i./ha as pre-emergence spray or use of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a. i./ha as pre-emergence+one hoeing at 20-25 DAS gave broad spectrum of weed control and resulted in higher cowpea seed yield and B : C ratio similar to weed free up to 40 DAS and two hoeings @ 20-25 and 30-40 DAS. Similarly, the above treatments outyielded other treatments in terms of number of branches per plant, number of pods per pod and grain yield. Lowest cowpea seed yield and B : C ratio were recorded in weedy check. Maximum reduction in biomass of the weeds was observed by application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a. i./ha as pre-emergence spray or use of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a. i./ha as pre-emergence+one hoeing at 20-25 DAS.