Influence of Pre-Emergence Weedicides on Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Growth and Yield

A field experiment was conducted during 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 at Agricultural Research Station, Hanumanamatti to study the effect of chemical herbicides on weed management in turmeric. The treatments consisted of pre emergent application of Alachlor, Butachlor, Pedimethalin, Atrazine and Quizalofop ethyl. The pooled mean results indicated that, pre-emergent application of Alachlor @ 1.50 kg ai / ha + one interculture + one hand weeding (A1IC1HW) recorded the least weed density (13.67, 68.11 monocot weeds and 2.67,12.36 dicot weeds), weed bio-mass (32.33 g, 43.67 g fresh weight of monocot weeds and 5.68 g, 26.05 g fresh weight of dicot weeds, 17.50g, 7.68g dry weight of monocot weeds and 2.34 g, 10.69 g dry weight of dicot weeds), the highest turmeric plant height (11.35 cm, 32.49 cm), number of leaves (4.92, 8.39), leaf length (5.08 cm, 18.91cm), leaf breadth (2.21 cm, 7.25 cm) and number of tillers per plant (1.01, 4.34) at 30 and 60 days after planting respectively. The treatment with Alachlor @ 1.50 kg ai / ha + one interculture + one hand weeding (A1IC1HW) also recorded the highest yield per plot (65.03 kg), rhizome yield/ha (43.36 tonnes) and processed rhizome yield (8.67 t/ha) followed by Pendimethalin @ 1.00 kg ai/ha + one interculture + one hand weeding (P1IC1HW) compared to farmer’s practice (2HW1IC) and unweeded control (WC).