Integrated weed management strategies for climate-resilient pulse production
Keywords:
Integrated weed management, Yield loss, Herbicide resistance, Crop-weed competition, Weed floraAbstract
Pulses are vital for food and nutritional security, soil health, and sustainable cropping systems due to their nitrogen-fixing ability and high protein value. In India, pulses are grown on about 28.9 million ha with a production of 26.06 million tonnes (2022-23), yet productivity (902 kg/ha) remains below the global average. Weed infestation is one of the most severe constraints to pulse productivity, causing 30–80% yield losses, particularly under rainfed conditions. Weeds also remove large quantities of soil nutrients, impair nodulation and nitrogen fixation, and act as alternate hosts for pests and diseases. Pulses are poor weed competitors because of slow initial growth and weak canopy development. Weed management is further complicated by diverse weed flora, limited herbicide options, labour shortages, poor mechanization, and low adoption of integrated approaches. This paper critically reviews major weed management challenges in pulse crops across seasons and agro-ecologies in India and synthesizes crop- and seasonspecific integrated weed management (IWM) strategies for major and minor pulses. Emphasis is placed on integrating cultural, mechanical, and judicious chemical methods for sustainable and effective weed control. Adoption of IWM can enhance pulse productivity by 20-45% while improving resourceuse efficiency and system resilience under changing climatic conditions.
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