Vol. 9, Special Issue 9, Part Q (2025)

A field experiment was carried out during rabi 2023-24 at the All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, MPKV, Rahuri, to evaluate the efficacy of different weed management practices in onion (Allium Cepa L.). The study was laid out with ten treatments including pre-emergence (PE) and post-emergence (PoE) applications of Oxyfluorfen and Pendimethalin alone and in combination with hand weeding, Propaquizafop based combinations, a weedy check, and a weed-free check, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The study showed that all weed management treatments significantly reduced weed population and dry weight in comparison with the weedy check. The highest weed control efficiency, minimum weed index, and lowest weed density were observed under weed-free treatment (T10), followed by Pendimethalin 580 g a.i./ha (PE) + hand weeding at 45 DAP (T4). Growth parameters including number of leaves per plant and plant height were maximum in weed-free plots, while T4 was the most effective among herbicidal treatments. Similarly, bulb yield attributes including average bulb weight and total bulb yield were significantly higher in weed-free treatment, followed by T4. Economic analysis showed that the highest net monetary returns (₹ 2,62,425.9 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (3.13) were recorded in weed-free treatment (T10). Among herbicidal treatments, T4 provided the highest net monetary returns (₹ 2,49,131.9 ha⁻¹) and the best B:C ratio (3.17). In contrast, the weedy check produced the lowest yield and economic returns. The study concluded that Pendimethalin 580 g a.i./ha (PE) combined with hand weeding at 45 DAP was the most effective herbicidal treatment for suppressing weeds, improving growth, and enhancing bulb yield in onion. However, further multi-season evaluation is necessary to confirm consistency of results.