INFLUENCE OF WEED CONTROL METHODS AND PLANT SPACING ON THE YIELD OF WHITE JUTE (Corchorus capsularis)

A field experiment was conducted at Sher-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during April to August, 2009 with a view to find out the influence of weed control methods and plant spacing on the yield of white jute (var.CVL-1). The experiment consisted of four weed control methods viz. two times hand weeding with one raking, herbicide Whip Super 9 EC (Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl: C18H16ClNO5) application at 15 DAS, two times hand weeding at 20+40 DAS and three times hand weeding at 15+30+45 DAS; and four plant spacings viz. 20 cm x 10 cm, 25 cm x 10 cm, 30 cm x 10 cm (20, 25 and 30 rows with plants spaced at 10 cm intervals in the row) and a broadcasting. The dominant grass weeds were Cynodon dactylon (43%), Echinochloa colonum (29%) and Eleusine indica (22%). Results showed that plant spacing differed significantly and 25 cm x 10 cm spacing gave highest (3.12 t ha^-1) fibre yield which was statistically similar with 20 cm x10 cm. Two times weeding and one raking gave highest (3.12 t ha^-1) fibre yield which was statistically similar with herbicide application (2.97 t ha^-1). Interaction effect showed that highest fibre yield (4.02 t ha^-1) was obtained from 20 cm x 10 cm spacing with herbicide application. Whip Super 9 EC @ 615 ml ha^-1 effectively controlled the grass weeds providing higher fibre yield and net 7.13 Taka return per Taka invested whereas 6.51, 5.18 and 5.34 Taka from two times hand weeding with one raking, two times hand weeding and three times hand weeding, respectively.