Abstract:
A field investigation entitled “Effect of pre and post emergence herbicides on nutrients uptake and soil microflora in onion (
Allium cepa L.)” was carried out at AICRP on weed management field of Agronomy Department, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during
Rabi season of the year 2018-19 with an objective to study the effect of herbicides on nutrient uptake and soil microflora in onion. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatment replicated thrice. The soil of the experimental field was fairly uniform and well levelled characterized as clay loam in texture, having slightly alkaline pH reaction (7.7), low organic carbon status (0.41%), low nitrogen content (197.21 kg ha
-1), medium available phosphorus content (18.76 kg ha
-1) and rich in available potassium (366.49 kg ha
-1). Onion (Akola Safed) was transplanted on 14
th December 2018 at 20×10 cm spacing with fertilizer dose of 100:50:50 NPK kg ha
-1. The results revealed that there was a significant differences in uptake of major nutrients N, P and K by crop and maximum total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake of 59.02, 17.70 and 29.51 kg ha
-1 respectively was recorded in weed free treatment followed by Pendimethalin 24% + Oxyfluorfen 4% ZE @600+102.5 g a.i./ha PE (T
3) (54.60, 16.94 and 26.36 NPK kg ha
-1) and treatment Oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC@ 200 g a.i./ha PE (T
6). As regards to uptake by weed, weedy check treatment showed maximum uptake (62.93, 19.70, 36.12 NPK kg ha
-1) of major nutrients than all other treatments of chemical herbicides and weed free plots. Effect of herbicides after spraying significantly influenced the population of soil microorganism’s
viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes as compared to their population before herbicide application. But at the time of harvest of the crop the microbial population with all the treatments attained slight higher level.