Technology transfer is equally important as that of technology development for sustainability of agriculture. Farmers fail to benefit from technological advances due to communication gap between research organization(s) and the end-users along with lack of technical know-how. Surveys carried out earlier revealed significant gap between available improved technologies of weed management and their adoption levels. However, any weed management technology cannot perform equally in every agro-climatic situation. On-farm trials (OFT) aim at testing a new technology in farmer’s fields under farmers’ conditions and management by using farmer’s own practice as control. On-farm trials should help to develop innovations consistent with farmer’s circumstances, compatible with the actual farming system and corresponding to farmer’s goals and preferences. Accordingly, OFTs are formulated by the AICRP-WM centres’ based on weed problems and priority of the problems faced by the farmers as given below:
WP 5.1 On-farm trials/ Research
At Hissar, OFTs conducted at 11 locations and revealed that Shagun, a ready mix combination of clodinafop+ metribuzin against complex weed flora in wheat, had an edge over farmer’s practice as it provided 89.5% control of P. minor as against 79.5% by use of Vesta with yield increase of 0.4 t/ha. Shagun showed good efficacy against grassy and broad leaf weeds but with 10-20% toxicity to some of varieties viz: PBW 550, HD 2967 and HD 2891 under high moisture conditions at some locations and regeneration of P. minor in some cases.
At Ludhiana, eight OFRs for testing efficacy of new pre-mix herbicide metsulfuron+chlorimuron (20 g/ha) applied as post-emergence were conducted in direct seeded rice. The new herbicides recorded effective control of broadleaf and sedges and recorded rice grain yield and economic return similar to recommended azimsulfuron and was safe to rice. Similarly, eight OFRs for testing efficacy of new pre- mix herbicide sulfosulfuron+ carfentrazone-ethyl at 100 g/ha (against recommended sequential application of sulfosulfuron and carfentrazone), and eight OFRs for testing the efficacy of new pre-mix herbicide metribuzin + clodinafop at 500 g/ha (against recommended herbicide metsurfuron + iodosulfuron) as post-emergence were conducted in wheat. The new herbicides provided effective control of broadleaf and grasses weeds and recorded similar wheat grain yield and economic return compared to earlier recommended herbicides.
At Pantnagar, OFTs on rice and soybean were conducted at two locations of the districts, US Nagar (Tarai area), and Nainital (Bhabar area) during Kharif, 2016. In Tarai region of Uttarakhand, application of bispyribac-Na at (25 g/ha) was found more effective against weeds in rice compared to farmers practice (butachlor 1000 g/ha) and it recorded an highest (41.9%) increase in grains yield due to application of bispyribac-Na and farmers practices (32.2%). Among the different weed control treatments, highest grain yield (4.4 t/ha), gross return (Rs. 62,040 /ha), net return (Rs. 30,165/ha) and B:C ratio (1.9) was recorded with bispyribac-Na followed by farmer’s practice. Similarly, in soybean, imazethapyr (0.1 kg/ha) at 15 DAS and alachlor (2.5 kg/ha) (PE) were used for evaluation. The highest grain yield was obtained with early post-emergence application of imazethapyr (1.7 t/ha) followed by pre-emergence application of alachlor (1.6 t/ha) and farmer practice (1.5 t/ha). During Rabi, four OFTs were conducted in the districts, US Nagar and Nainital. In Tarai and Bhabar regions of Uttarakhand, application of ready mix of clodinafop-propargyl + metsulfuron methyl (60+4 g)/ha in wheat crop was found more effective against weeds at farmer’s field as compared to application of sulfosulfuron+ metsulfuron-methyl (30+2 g) /ha.
At Palampur, eight OFT were conducted on different weed management technologies at various locations. Results revealed that weeds reduced grain yield of paddy by 53.7%. Dose of pyrazosulfuron (20 g/ha) remained at par with pyrazosulfuron (15 g/ha) and gave significantly higher grain yield of rice over other weed control treatments. Similarly post-emergence application of clodinafop (60 g/ha) + metsulfuron (4 g/ha) remained at par with post- emergence application of penoxaden + metsulfuron (4 g/ha) and pre-emergence pendimethalin (1.0 kg/ha) fb post-emergence metsulfuron (2 g/ha) gave significantly higher grain and straw yield of wheat. These were found better treatments which gave 107.7, 97.9 and 99% higher grain yield of wheat over weedy check and 28.6, 22.5 and 23.1% over farmers practice (hand weeding twice). Similarly application of imazethapyr at (80 g/ha) early post was found at par with pendimethalin + imazethapyr at 800 or 900 g/ha pre-emergence resulted in significantly lower dry weight of weeds higher green pea yield. There was significant variation in the population of grasses, sedges and broad-leaved weeds due to different rice based cropping systems.
At Dapoli, four OFTs were conducted at Lanja tehsil of Ratanagiri district in rice. Tested weed management technology oxadiargyl PE gave overall effective result in term of yield and net returns with higher B:C ratio compared to other treatment and farmers’ practice of weed management. In Kharif groundnut, four OFTs were also conducted at same locations. Application of pendimethalin at 1.0 kg/ha PE recorded higher yield with net profit of Rs. 55,000/ha.
At Faizabad, three OFTs were conducted in tobacco to control Orobanche cernua. Application of neem cake 200 kg/ha + soil drenching of metalaxyl MZ 0.2% at 20 DAP showed higher tobacco leaf yield (265.9 g/plant), followed by imazethapyr (0.03 kg/ha) at 20 DAP (240 g/plant). Whereas in rice, application of pretilachlor (750 g/ha) as PE fb crlorimunr + metsalfuron (4 g/ha) as PoE recorded higher grain yield (5.4 t/ha) with net profit of Rs. 48,000/ha.
At Pusa, ten OFTs were conducted using the chemical weed management technologies for rice crop (5 OFT) in Kharif and wheat (5 OFT) in Rabi at different farmers’ field. Pretilachlor (750 g/ha) fb chlorimuron+ metsulfuron (crlorimunr + metsalfuron) at 4 g/ha 25 DAT in rice and clodinafop + metsulfuron (Premix) (60 +4 g) at 5 WAS in wheat were found superior in term of grain yield and B:C ratio over farmers practices.
At Akola, two OFTs were carried out in cotton using pre- emergence herbicides pendimethalin at (1.0 kg/ha) followed by post-emergence herbicide pyrithiobac-sodium (625 g/ha). Results revealed that the weed control and crop yield in all the two farmers’ field was relatively better due to the improved technology as compared to their own practice (3-4 hoeing + 2 – 3 hand weeding). At Coimbatore, five OFTS on weed management in okra and five in black- gram were carried out. Application of oxyflourfen 200 g/ha (PE) + one hand weeding on 30-35 DAS showed broad spectrum weed control, higher fruit yield and economic returns in okra. Due to adoption of improved weed management technology (EPOE quizalofop- ethyl 50 g/ha and imazethapyr 50 g/ha on 15-20 DAS, on an average black gram yields increased and ranged from 16.9 to 31.1% higher over farmers practice (two hand weeding). The highest income also obtained by improved practice over farmers practice and it has been popularized among the farmers.
At Jorhat three OFTs were carried out in greengram using pendimethalin (750 g/ha) (PE). Result revealed that the weed control and grain yield in all the three farmers’ field was higher due to the improved technology as compared to their own practice (2 hand weedings).
At Bhubaneswar six OFTS on weed management in transplanted rice were carried out during Rabi 2015-16 at Alsua village of Banki block of Cuttack district. Maximum yield of 4.2 t/ha was recorded in the plot treated with pretilachlor 1.0 lit/ha. A net saving of Rs. 2500 – 3500/ha was obtained in the plots treated with herbicides.
At Gwalior OFT were conducted in blackgram using imazethapyr + imazamox (RM) 80 g/ha. Results revealed 64.5% increase of grain yield of blackgram over farmer practice with B:C ratio of 2.9 over 1.8 in farmer practice. Similarly in wheat 3.7 t/ha grain yield was obtained with the application of sulfosulfuron followed by clodinafop + metsulfuron (3.3 t/ha) and 2,4-D (3.1 t/ha) which was 32.9, 19.3 and 12.2% higher over farmers practice.
At Anand OFT conducted on farmers field showed that IC fb HW carried out at 20 and 40 DAS was more effective for weed management as compared to post-emergence application of quizalofop-ethyl in soybean crop.
At Raipur, five OFTs were carried out at Village Chotod, district Raipur in direct line seeded rice with application of pinoxsulam (20 g/ha) as post- emergence. There was 23.6% increase in grain yield due to recommended practice over farmers practice along with a B:C ratio of 3.71 and 2.87, respectively.
At Jammu, two OFTs were carried out using stale seed bed with glyphosate (1.5 kg/ha), paraquat (0.8 kg/ha) and quizalofop-ethyl (0.16 kg/ha) in transplanted basmati rice for the management of weedy rice at village Rattan and Makhanpur Gujran of RS Pura block of Jammu region during Kharif 2015. Application of stale seed-bed with glyphosate was found to be significantly superior to all other treatments in terms of grain yield (2.9 t/ha), net returns (Rs. 59,947/ha) and B:C ratio (1.9) of transplanted rice.
At Raichur, fourteen OFTs were conducted on weed management technology in black gram (7) and rice (7) at different locations during Kharif 2016. Recommended weed management technology of black gram and rice was compared with farmers practice (Two hand weedings at 20 and 40 DAS). On an average, farmers practice gave higher seed yield, economic benefit with high B: C ratio as compared to improved weed management practices in both the crops.
WP 5.2 Front Line Demonstrations
Frontline demonstration is a long term educational activity conducted in a systematic manner in farmers’ field to show the worth of a new practice/ technology. In order to popularize and show the performance and profitability of proven weed management technologies among farming community with objective to make them aware and adopt these for enhanced crop productivity, following FLD was conducted through farmer participatory approach.
At Raipur, 25 FLDs were conducted on weed management in rice in two tribal villages of Kanker, District during Kharif 2016 with the help of KVK Kanker. Average yield of farmers practice and recommended practice was 40.6 and 49.4 q/ha, respectively. However, percent increase under recommended practice over farmers practice was 21.6%. The average benefit cost ratio was calculated to be 2.5 and 3.2 under farmers practice and recommended practice.
At Hisar, results of 116 FLDs conducted on 185 acres in Bhiwani, Hisar and Mahender Garh districts revealed that post-emergence application of glyphosate (25 g/ha) at 30 DAS followed by its use at 50 g/ha at 50-60 DAS provided effective control (79, 87 and 98%, respectively) of Orobanche aegyptiaca in mustard. Similarly, tembotrione (120 g/ha) was demonstrated against complex weed flora in Kharif maize at five locations in Panchkula district. Results showed that tembotrione provided 85-100% control of weeds, namely Cyperus rotundus, Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus rotundus, Brachiaria reptans, Commelina benghalensis, Digitaria sanguanalis, Sorghum helepense and Elusine indica which were not being controlled by use of atrazine being used by farmers. Yield data showed that economics was in favour of use of tembotrione at all locations. During Kharif 2016, fifteen demonstrations on bioefficacy of Eros, a ready mix combination of pretilachlor + pyrazosulfuron against complex weed flora in transplanted rice were conducted in various parts of state and compared with earlier recommended herbicide Rifit (pretilachlor). On an average Eros, had an edge over pretilachlor as it provided more than 91.5% control of complex weed flora as against 83% by use of pretilachlor with yield increase of 0.4 t/ha, means 7.6% increase over farmers practice of use of pretilachlor.
At Pantnager, FLDs using herbicides for managing weeds in rice, soybean and wheat were conducted at farmers’ field in different location of Bhabar and Tarai area. In rice, use of bispyribac- sodium (20 g/ha) gave broad spectrum weed control and increased mean net return with higher B: C ratio over farmers practice. In soybean, application of imazethapyr (0.1 kg/ha) as post-emergence produced 12.5% higher grain yield as compared to farmers’ practice. Similarly in wheat ready mix application of clodinafop-propargyl + metsulfuron at 64 g/ha at 30 DAS effectively controlled broad leaved weeds in all locations and increased grain yield, mean net return and B: C ratio compared to farmers practice.
At Ludhiana, improved spray technology (use of tractor operated multi-boom sprayer) for enhancing herbicides efficacy was demonstrated in direct seeded rice during Kharif 2016 at 60 locations of five districts, viz Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala, Bathinda, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Improved spray technology gave 6.2% higher rice grain yield, 22% higher weed control and Rs. 5,500/ha higher net returns than conventional spay technology. Similarly during Rabi 2015-16 improved spray technology (use of tractor operated multi-boom sprayer) for enhancing herbicides efficacy was carried out in wheat under FLD programme at 109 locations of 6 districts, viz Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Moga and Amritsar. Averaged data of different locations revealed that improved spray technology gave 4.3% higher wheat grain yield, 11.2% higher weed control and Rs. 3,627/ha higher net returns than conventional spray technology.
At Pusa, 10 farmers were selected from Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Rohtas and Vaishali districts of Bihar for FLDs during Kharif 2016 to demonstrate performance of pretilachlor (750 g/ha) fb chlorimuron + metsulfuron (crlorimunr + metsalfuron) at 4 g/ha 25 DAT. Total area for this demonstration was 4 ha. Highest grain yield of rice (4.6 t/ha) was recorded with the demonstrated weed management technology which was 29% higher than the farmers practice. Similarly FLDs were conducted in 10 farmers’ fields using ready-mix combination of clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+4 g/ha) at 5 WAS for managing weeds in wheat in Madhubani, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Nawada districts. Compared to the farmers practice, wheat yield was 29.3% higher with the application of readymix combination of clodinafop + metsulfuron (4.65 t/ha).
At Coimbatore, five FLDs were carried out in blackgram at different location. Due to adoption of improved weed management technology (EPOE quizalofop-ethyl (50 g/ha) and imazethapyr (50 g/ha) at (15-20 DAS), on an average, the grain yield of black gram increased by 16.9 to 31.07 % higher over farmers practice (two hand weedings). Highest income also obtained in improved practice over farmers practice (two hand weedings). Majority of the farmers were fully satisfied with the performance of improved weed management technology.
At Akola, two FLDs were carried out in soybean crop at Alanda and Ghusar villages of Akola using herbicides diclosulam (22 g/ha) PE followed by imazethyper + imazamox (100 g/ha) at 20-25 DAS for managing the weed. The higher grain yield (2 t/ha) and B: C ratio (2.6) obtained in improved practice over farmers practice (1.2 t/ha and 2.4). Farmers were fully satisfied with the performance of improved weed management technology.
At Palampur, five FLDs using herbicides for managing weeds in wheat (3) and Rajmash (2) were conducted at farmers’ field in different location of Palampur and Mandi districts. In wheat, IWM gave broad spectrum weed control and increased grain yield (3.1 t/h) with higher B: C ratio (2.4) over farmers practice (grain yield 1.2 t/h with B:C ratio 1.2). Similarly in Rajmash, application of herbicides effectively controlled weeds in the farmers’ fields and increased grain yield, mean net return and B: C ratio compared to farmers practice.
At Raichur, during Kharif 2016, ten FLDs were conducted on weed management technology in cotton (05) and rice (05) at different locations. Recommended weed management technologies of cotton and rice were compared with farmers practice. On an average, improved weed management practices gave higher seed yield, economic benefit with high B: C ratio in both the crops.
At Thrissur, demonstration of oxyfluorfen as an alternative herbicide for diuron in pineapple was carried out. Result revealed that farmers were fully convinced about its efficacy for the control of weeds at very low concentrations.
At Udaipur, eleven FLDs using improved weed management technology for managing weeds in maize (05), and wheat (06) were conducted at farmers’ fields of different locality. In maize, tembotrione at 15 DAS gave very good weed control and increased grain yield (54.5%) with higher B: C ratio over farmers practice. Similarly in wheat, application of ready mix combination of sulfosulfuron (30 g/ha) + metsulfuron 2.0 g/ha at 30 DAS produced 62.5% higher grain yield as compared to farmer’s practice.
At Gwalior, FLDs were conducted on weed management technology in pearlmillet during Kharif 2016. Average yield in the demonstration field of pearlmillet (2,4-D 0.5 kg/ha PoE) was 4.7 t/ha with B:C ratio of 2.6, while the average yield in farmer practice was 3.7 t/ha with B:C ratio of 2.2.
At Bhubaneswar, ten FLDs were carried out in transplanted rice at Munida, Satyabadi of Puri districts using bispyribac- sodium (25 g/ha) at 25 DAT for managing the weed. Higher grain yield (21 – 42%) and B:C ratio were obtained in improved practice over farmers practice.