CHEMICAL WEED CONTROL STUDIES IN FABA BEAN Vicia faba L.

Abstract

A two season field experiments were conducted in the College of Agricultural Studies, demonstration farm at Shambat in the winter seasons of 2001/02 and 2002/03. The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the efficacy and phytotoxicity of some herbicides on the degree of nodulation, grain yield, and primary morphological yield components of faba bean Vicia faba. The herbicide treatments used were Modown Atrazine mixture at 1.0 and 1.5 litre per feddan, Ronstar at 1.0 and 1.5 litre per feddan, and Ronstar Diuron mixture at 1.0 and 1.5 litre per feddan. A completely randomized block design with four replicates was used for this purpose. All herbicides were applied pre-emergence. The herbicide treatments were compared with unweeded control to evaluate the efficacy, and with hand-weeded control to evaluate the phytotoxicity. The herbicide treatments at the rate of 1.0 litre per faddan proved to be effective in cutting down weed competition, and hence increasing the grain yield of faba bean. The increase in the grain yield was mainly due to increase in number of pods per plant. The herbicide used did not affect the degree of nodulation however, increasing the rate up to 1.5 litre per feddan resulted in slight phytotoxic symptoms.