Cultivating Success: A Comprehensive Analysis of Integrated Weed Management Strategies and Their Impact on Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Yield and Sustainability

Abstract

Integrated weed management is a critical approach for controlling weeds in agricultural crops like groundnut (peanut) to minimize yield losses and maximize crop productivity. This approach combines various weed control strategies and methods to effectively manage weeds while minimizing the dependence on herbicides. The present study was also designed to evaluate the effects of integrated weed management in groundnut cultivation: (Arachis hypogaea L.) during summer season 2020-2021 at National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabd with combination of 10 weed management treatments in three replications. Pre-emergence application of S Metolachlor @ 2 L/ha and post emergence application of S Metolachlor @ 2 L /ha was applied on each of the replication. The weed control in terms of lowest weed density, lowest weed fresh weight, lowest weed dry matter, and best weed control efficiency depicted the efficiency of treatments to control weeds in the groundnut. The growth and yield attributes of groundnut viz, plant height, number of branches per plant, and pod yield/hectare were found higher as compared with other treatments. Although the treatment with organic mulch was also the best in terms of yield, the treatment with S Metolachlor at 2L/ha as a pre-emergence and Quizalofop-p at 2L/ha as a post-emergence had the highest maximum net monetary returns (394409 Rs/ha) and BC ratio (3.73). So, chemical control was recommended as most economically feasible weed management practice for groundnut in Pothwar Region of Pakistan.