Weeds are undesirable and unwanted plants that absorb faster and greater quantities of nutrients than crop plants, reducing crop yield even at maximum fertilizer rates. So, promising weed management methods are required to enhance lentil quality. Keeping this in mind, afield experiment was conducted at Research Farm, Division of Agronomy, MPUAT, Udaipur during Rabi season of 2021-22 and 2022-23 to study the effects of nutrient and weed management practices on weed dynamics and chlorophyll content of lentil (Lens culinaris L.). The experiment was laid out in factorial Randomized Block design comprising five nutrient management practices viz., 100% RDF, 75% RDF + one spray of each 2 ml/l nano DAP and nano Zn at flowering initiation, 50% RDF + one spray of each 2 ml/l nano DAP and nano Zn at flowering initiation, 75% RDF + two spray of each 2 ml/l nano DAP and nano Zn at flowering and pod initiation and 50% RDF + two spray of each 2 ml/l nano DAP and nano Zn at flowering and pod initiation as factor A and four weed management practices viz., Weedy check, Two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg/ha PE and Imazethapyr 35% + imazamox 35% WG @ 70 g/ha PoE at 20 DAS as factor B. The weed density and chlorophyll content were recorded at 30 DAS. Application of different nutrient management treatments, 100% RDF recorded significantly increased chlorophyll content of lentil followed by 75% RDF + two spray of each nano DAP and nano Zn as compared to rest of the treatments during both the years of study. Among weed management practices, two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS observed significantly reduce weed density followed by pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg/ha over to rest of the treatments during both the years. Hence, it concluded that use of 100% RDF and pendimethalin as is promising options for management of weeds and realizing higher chlorophyll content of lentil.

Nutrient management, lentil, chlorophyll, weed management, weed density

The highest value of chlorophyll a, b and total content was observed under 100% RDF followed by 75% RDF + two spray of each 2 ml/l nano DAP & nano Zn at flowering and pod initiation. Among herbicidal treatments, application of pendimethalin 30 EC@ 1.0 kg/ha was the best treatment with respect to weed control. Based on two-year research findings, it is recommended that application of 100% RDF to achieve higher chlorophyll content of lentil and maximum weed control with pendimethalin 30 EC@ 1.0 kg/ha under agro-climatic condition of Rajasthan.

Suman Dhayal, M.K. Kaushik, J. Choudhary, R.H. Meena, B. Upadhayay, Hemlata Sharma and Sarita Choudhary (2023). Effect of Nutrient and Weed Management Practices on Weed Dynamics and Chlorophyll content of lentil (Lens culinaris L.). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8): 310-315.