Managing Weed-Crop Interactions Enhances Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Chemical Components

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Plant Science

Background:

• Weeds, especially Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav., significantly reduce chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) yield and nutritional value.
• Effective weed management is crucial for optimizing chickpea production and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various weed management strategies on the nutritional quality of chickpea grain.
• To identify the most effective methods for enhancing chickpea's dietary components.

Main Methods:

• A two-year field trial (2018-19, 2019-20) using a factorial randomized complete block design.
• Application of herbicides (bromoxynil + MCPA, fluroxypyr + MCPA, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, pendimethalin), allelopathic weed extracts, mulches (wheat straw, eucalyptus leaves), and a combination treatment.
• Analysis of chickpea grain for nitrogen, crude protein, crude fat, ash, and oil content.

Main Results:

• Pendimethalin and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl herbicides demonstrated superior control of Asphodelus tenuifolius, leading to the highest chickpea grain nutritional quality.
• All tested management strategies increased crude protein content, with pendimethalin and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl showing an average increase of 18%.
• Pendimethalin, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, and wheat straw mulch significantly increased ash and crude fat content, while pendimethalin and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl also boosted oil content in the second year.

Conclusions:

• Pendimethalin and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl are highly effective for managing Asphodelus tenuifolius and improving chickpea grain's nutritional profile.
• Sustainable weed management practices can significantly enhance the dietary quality of chickpea, benefiting the agricultural and food sectors.
• The study highlights the potential for integrated weed management to improve crop quality and yield sustainably.