Analysing Efficacy of Chemical and Mechanical Weed Control Methods to Growth and Quality Enhancement in Grapes (Vitis vinifera)

Weed management is one of major agronomic practices needed for effective growth and yield of crops. The cost effective weed management practices is required for grape production with minimum cost of cultivation. Research trials were taken to evaluate the bioefficacy and phytotoxicity of Indaziflam 500 SC in vineyards at Farmers fields of Appachipannai and Anumandampatti within the Cumbum Block, Theni district, Tamil Nadu during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2018 and 2019. The field experiment was conducted utilizing a randomized block design with three replications. The experiment encompasses ten (10) treatments, namely, T1 - Untreated control, T2 - Indaziflam 500 SC @ 37.5 g a.i./ha, T3 - Indaziflam 500 SC @ 50 g a.i./ha, T4 - Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i./ha, T5 - Diuron 80% WP @ 1600 g a.i./ha, T6 - Manual weeding, T7 - Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i./ha + Glyphosate 41% SL @ 1230 g a.i./ha, T8 - Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i./ha + Glufosinate Ammonium 13.5% SL @ 500 g a.i./ha, T9 - Glyphosate 41% SL @ 1230 g a.i./ha and T10 - Glufosinate Ammonium 13.5% SL @ 500 g a.i./ha. Indaziflam 500 SC was sprayed as pre-emergence and tank mix application with post emergence herbicides in grapevine before the onset of South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon. During both study seasons, pre-emergence application of Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i. ha-1 resulted in a considerably decreased number of weeds on 30, 60, 90, and 120 DAA. Throughout both seasons, the untreated control showed increased weed density at every stage of crop growth. Pre-emergence application of Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i. ha-1 recorded significantly lower weed DMP at 90 DAA followed by pre-emergence application of Indaziflam 500 SC @ 50 g a.i./ha during both the seasons of the study and resulted in higher weed control efficiency at all stages of observation. Significantly higher grapes yield of 15.3 and 16.5 t/ha was recorded with manual weeding during kharif and rabi respectively due to weed free condition maintained during entire growth stage of the crop and it was followed by pre-emergence application of Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i./ha. Pre-emergence application of Indaziflam 500 SC @ 62.5 g a.i. ha-1 recorded significantly higher fruit yield to the tune of 14.1 and 15.3 t/ha and observed 30 % and 34.5 % increased yield over standard check Diuron 80% WP @ 1600 g a.i./ha in grapes in first and second seasons respectively.