Performance of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) under weed control measures and nutrient management

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi, 2021-22 at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, SKRAU, Bikaner. The study was undertaken to identify the most effective weed control strategy and nutrient management practice for maximizing fennel productivity. There were 16 treatment combinations with four nutrient managements (control, 75% RDF, 100% RDF and 125% RDF) and four weed control measures (weed free, pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha⁻¹ (PE), Oxyfluorfen at 50 g ha⁻¹ (PoE at 25 DAS) and weedy check) and were evaluated under factorial randomized design with three replications. The results revealed that among the weed control measures, pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha-1 (PE) significantly reduced weed density and dry matter accumulation compared to the weedy check and was more effective than oxyflurfen at 50 g ha-1 (POE at 25 DAS). It reduced weed count by 83.95% and 85.32%, and weed biomass by 86.78% and 81.64% at 50 DAS and harvest, respectively, over the weedy check. The highest weed control efficiency (100%) and lowest weed index (0%) were observed in weed-free and pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha-1 (PE) showed the next best treatment. The weed-free significantly enhanced crop growth and yield attributes, nutrient content and uptake, economic yield, biological yield (4595 kg ha⁻¹) and net return. However, pendimethalin at 0.75 kg ha⁻¹ (PE) achieved the highest B: C ratio. Among nutrient management treatments, 125% RDF resulted in the maximum weed population and weed dry matter accumulation, while 100% RDF recorded superior growth and yield attributes and biological yield (3978 kg ha⁻¹) and economic returns. Challenges such as increased weed pressure under higher nutrient regimes and dependence on herbicides were noted. The study contributes to advancing integrated weed and nutrient management approaches for sustainable crop production.