Growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) as influenced by irrigation levels and weed management practices

Abstract

A field experiment on effect of irrigation levels and weed management practices on growth and yield of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) was conducted at Sardarkrushinagar (Gujarat). The study indicated that irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 1.0 gave significantly higher plant height, dry matter accumulation plant-1, leaf area plant-1 and leaf area index at all the growth stages and seed, haulm and biological yields over IW/CPE ratios 0.8 and 0.6. Number of branches, number of nodules and their dry weight plant-1 were also highest with irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 1.0. Days to 50% flowering and maturity significantly increased with increasing levels of irrigation from IW/CPE ratio 0.6 to 1.0. Besides weed free treatment, higher plant height, dry matter accumulation plant-1, number of nodules and their weight plant-1, number of branches plant-1, days to 50% flowering and maturity were recorded with weed control by pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + Inter-culturing at 40 days after sowing (DAS) and hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS which were significantly superior over rest of treatments. Application of irrigation at IW/CPE ratio 1.0 along with weed control by pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg ha-1 + Inter culturing at 40 DAS is beneficial for realising better growth and productivity of fenugreek.