Cotton as a crop as well as commodity has a unique place in the economy of India as it plays an important role in the agrarian and industrial activities of the nation, being grown in acreage of 11.76 M ha, while the total production of cotton in India is 6.21 million bales (170 kg each) in 2015-16 against the production of 34.80 million bales in 2014-15. The highest production is in Gujarat with 9.7 million bales (32.18%) and second is Maharashtra with 6.5 million bales (21.56%) and third leading producer is Telangana with 3.86 million bales (12.80%).In Telangana, the total area under cotton is 17.73 lakh hectares in 2015-16 and the production is 37.3 lakh bales lint of 170 kgs in 2015-16. The productivity of cotton in Telangana is 358 kgs ha -1 in 2015-16 (Agriculture at a glance, 2016).

Background: Weed management is one of the most important agronomic constraints leading to severe losses in the cropping system. Intercropping has several advantages to mitigate the losses faced by monocropping in addition to which if there is a proper control of weeds then the advantages of the intercropping system can be multiplied. Methods: An investigation was conducted on medium black clayey soils at Junagadh during kharif 2019-20 and 2020-21 in randomized block design with 10 treatments replicated thrice, to evaluate the effect of different weed management options on the growth and yield of groundnut + pigeonpea relay intercropping. The treatments were: pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb interculture and hand weeding at 45 DAS (T1), pendimethalin 0.45 kg ha-1 + oxyfluorfen 0.09 kg ha-1 as PE fb interculture and hand weeding at 45 DAS (T2), interculture and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T3), interculture and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb quizalofop p ethyl 40 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T4), interculture and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb propaquizafop 70 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T5), pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T6), pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as a PE fb quizalofop p ethyl 40 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T7), pendimethalin 0.9 kg as ha-1 PE fb propaquizafop 70 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T8), weed free (T9) and unweeded control (T10). Result: The results of the experiment revealed that weed free registered significantly higher plant height, number of branches, dry matter per plant and number of root nodules per plant in groundnut and pigeonpea and was statistically on par with to intercultureand hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE, pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE. The data on yield attributes and yield of both the crops depicted that significantly superior results were obtained with weed free treatment, which was statistically at par with intercultureand hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (Ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE and pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (Ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE. While in case of groundnut equivalent pod and haulm yields, statistically superior yields were registered with weed free treatment, which was statistically at par with intercultureand hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (Ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE.

A field experiments was conducted at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar during kharif 2017 for the evaluation of diuron in two different soils. The treatments consisted of diuron 80% WP at 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 kg ha -1 along with registered formulation of pendimethalin 38.7% CS at 677 g ha -1 , intercropping with green manure crop, mechanical weeding thrice at 20, 40, 60 days after sowing and unweeded control. The experiment was carried out in a randomised block design replicated thrice. The weed flora of the experimental field in red soil was dominated by Cynodon dactylon, Rottboellia exaltata, Parthenium hysterophorus, Trianthema portulacastrum and Commelina benghalensis. While in case of black soil predominant flora was Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus rotundus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Euphorbia geniculata, Tridax procumbens, Cyanotis cristata, Digera arvensis and Celosia argentea. The macronutrient contents in cotton crop were higher in polymulch, mechanical weeding thrice at 20, 40 and 60 DAS and this was comparable to pre emergence application diuron at 1.0 kg ha -1 followed by post emergence application of pyrithiobac sodium + quizalofop p ethyl in red soil and post emergence application diuron at 1.0 kg ha -1 followed by post emergence application of pyrithiobac sodium + quizalofop p ethyl and diuron at 0.75 kg ha -1 black soil. The minimum weed competition facilitated higher DMP and nutrient uptake by the plant. The nutrient removal by weeds also was minimal in polymulch, mechanical weeding thrice at 20, 40, 60 DAS, diuron at 1.0 kg ha -1 pre emergence application of pyrithiobac sodium + quizalofop p ethyl followed by post emergence application of diuron at 0.75 kg ha -1 in both red and black soil. KEYWORDS Diuron Nitrogen Polymulch PotassiumWeed control

Aims: To evaluate the effect of different weed management options on the economics in groundnut + pigeonpea relay intercropping on medium black clayey soils of Junagadh . Study Design: Field experiment was conducted at Junagadh during kharif 2019-20 and 2020-21 in Randomized Block Design with three replications to evaluate the effect of different weed management options on the economics in groundnut + pigeonpea relay intercropping on medium black clayey soils. The treatments comprised of: pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb interculturing and hand weeding at 45 DAS, pendimethalin 0.45 kg ha-1 + oxyfluorfen 0.09 kg ha-1 as PE fb interculturing and hand weeding at 45 DAS), interculturing and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE, interculturing and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb quizalofop p ethyl 40 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE,  interculturing and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb propaquizafop 70 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE, pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE, pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb quizalofop p ethyl 40 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE, pendimethalin 0.9 kg ha-1 as PE fb propaquizafop 70 g ha-1 at 45 DAS as POE (T8), weed free, and unweeded control (T10). Place and duration of the study: Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh during kharif seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. Methodology: on the basis of prevailing local charges. The gross realization in terms of rupees per hectare. A net return of each treatment was calculated by deducting the total cost of cultivation from the gross returns. Result: Significantly higher amount of gross returns were recorded with the weed free treatment (T9), which was closely followed by interculturing and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE (T3). Statistically higher net returns and higher net returns and B:C ratio were registered with interculture and hand weeding at 15 DAS fb sodium acifluorfen 16.5% + clodinafop propargyl 8% (ready mix) 1 kg ha-1 at 45 DAS as PoE (T3).