Weed dynamics, yield and economics of winter transplanted organic chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under nutrient and weed management

An experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season of 2021–22 at Agricultural Research Station, Chhatabar, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha to study the effect of weed and nutrient management practices on weed dynamics, yield and economics of winter transplanted organic chia (Salvia hispanica L.). The experiment was conducted in split plot design having 6 weed and 5 nutrient management practices with three replications. Among 6 weed management practices, hoeing and weeding twice at 20 and 35 days after transplanting (DAT) recorded the minimum density and biomass of weeds with weed control efficiency of 85 and 79.4% at 40 DAT and harvest, respectively. Nerium leaf aqueous extract (NLAE) 5% + castor leaf aqueous extract (CLAE) 5% + manual weeding at 35 DAT proved equally effective in weed control. Hoeing and weeding twice with 9 t/ha FYM + green manuring + Jeevamrit gave the seed, oil and protein yield of 730, 204 and 145 kg/ha, as against 720, 205 and 136 kg/ha, respectively. Weed management by NLAE 5% + CLAE 5% + manual weeding integrated with 9 t/ha FYM + green manuring + Jeevamrit and both, being statistically at par, proved to be significantly superior to all other treatment combinations. These two treatment combinations recorded statistically similar net return and return per rupee investment, and proved significantly superior to all others.