SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WEEDS IN RAINFED EGGPLANT IN INDIA

On-farm participatory experiments were conducted at Nalloor cluster comprising three villages viz. Keelakuruchi, Melakuruchi and Kattumailoor in National Agricultural Innovation Project implemented by Annamalai University in southern India. Grazing by goats in the off-season (March, April and May) was integrated with mulching of perennial crop wastes such as sugarcane trash and coconut husks in vegetable crop of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) rose during June-September. Goat grazing supplemented control of Trianthema portulacastrum with a weed control index (27%), whereas, mulching with sugarcane trash offered 64% control of perennial weeds such as Cyanodan dactylon. Integrating both goat grazing and sugarcane trash mulching compared better than conventional practices of hand-weeding and herbicide treatments, in offering a sustainable weed control and favouring crop yields. A 21% enhancement in soil organic matter content was also achieved due to this integration.