Effect of Pre and Post Emergence Herbicides Application on Economics of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

An experiment was conducted during kharif 2020 at Post Graduate Research Farm, Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule to study the effect of pre and post emergent herbicides application on economics of pearl millet production. Experiment consisted of nine treatments namely weedy check (T1), weed free (T2), atrazine @ 500 g/ha PoE (T3), 2,4-D (Dimethyl amine) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T4), 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T5), atrazine @ 500 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Dimethyl amine) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T6), atrazine @ 500 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T7), pendimethalin 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Dimethyl amine) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T8), pendimethalin 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T9) laid out in randomized block design with three replications. Among the herbicidal treatments, grain yield (kg/ha) and straw yield (kg/ha) was observed better with application of pendimethalin @ 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T9). Among the chemical weed management treatments, application of pendimethalin @ 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T9) observed higher gross and net monetary returns (₹/ha). However, the gross and net monetary returns (₹/ha) were maximum under weed free treatment but lower B:C ratio as compared to sequential application of pendimethalin @ 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Na Salt) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T9) and pendimethalin @ 750 g/ha PE fb 2,4-D (Dimethyl amine) @ 500 g/ha at 25-30 DAS PoE (T8) due to higher cost for labour weeding.