Author(s)

Ayyadurai Pachamuthu^1*, Poonguzhalan Ramadoos², Sathya Priya Ramalingam³

¹Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Paiyur, India.
²Department of Agronomy, P. J. N. College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karikal, India.
³Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.

An investigation to study the effect of weed competition on zero-till cotton was carried out at the experimental farm of the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agricultural and Research Institute, Karikal during the summer season (February to July) of 2007. The predominant weed species found in the experimented field were Echinochola colanum L., Leptochloa chinensis L., Cyperus rotundus L., Trianthema portulacastru, Rotala densiflora, Eclipta alba, Phyllanthus maderaspatensis, Echinochloa colonum and Leptochloa chinensis. Weed population increased between 20 - 60 days after sowing and decreased thereafter. Weed competition during the first 20 days after sowing resulted in an average yield loss of 12.5 percent which increased to 96.5 percent with full season competition. The seed cotton yield increased from 353 kg/ha to 2308 kg/ha as the initial weed- free period was increased from 20 days after sowing (DAS) to full season. The critical period of weed competition in zero-till cotton prevailed 20 to 60 DAS during which the crop should be kept free of weeds to prevent the potential losses in seed cotton yield.

Weed Density, Dry Weight, Weed Index, Critical Period, Yield

Pachamuthu, A. , Ramadoos, P. and Ramalingam, S. (2014) Weed Interference in Zero-Till Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Open Access Library Journal, 1, 1-8. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1100927.