Bio-efficacy of Sulfentrazone 39.6% SC against Weed Flora of Soybean

Abstract

Inadequate weed control is one of the primary causes of a decrease in soybean production. Weeds compete for resources with crops (water, light and nutrients). This competition is especially important during the early stages of crop development, when production losses of up to 80 per cent are possible, and in extreme cases, harvest operations are hampered. As a result, the current study sought to identify an effective weed control practice in soybean.To assess the bio-efficacy of Sulfentrazone 39.6% SC as a post-emergent (PRE) herbicide for weed control in soybean. The experiment was laid in RCBD (Randomized complete Block Design). A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Bidar, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India  during kharif seasons of 2019 and 2020. The study consisted seven treatments with three levels of Sulfentrazone as PRE (240, 360, and 480 g a.i ha-1), two check herbicides (Authority XL @ 360 g a.i. ha-1 and Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i ha-1as PRE), hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 days after sowing, and a weedy check replicated three times. Application of sulfentrazone 39.6%SC premergent herbicide significantly reduced weed density and dry biomass a during the critical period of crop-weed competition. Sulfentrazone 39.6% SC @ 360 g a.i. ha-1 (PRE) application resulted in significantly higher weed control efficiency (WCE), yield, and economics in soybean, which was comparable to Sulfentrazone 39.6% SC @ 480 g a.i. ha-1 (PRE) application.  Hence, Application of sulfentrazone 39.6% SC @ 360 g a.i. ha-1 as pre emergent herbicide is advocated to the farmers in effective control of weeds.