INTERFERENCE OF HORSE PURSLANE (Trianthema portulacastrum L.) ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOYBEAN [Glycine max(L.) Merr.]

ABSTRACT Horse purslane is one of the most spreading and problematic weed in Pakistan's Punjab region during summer. A field experiment to check the interference of horse purslane(Trianthema portulacastrum L.) on growth and yield of soybean was conducted at research area of MNSUniversity of Agriculture Multan in summer, 2018 The experiment was carried out in Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD) having three replications and comprising of ten treatments i.e. Weed free(whole season), horse purslane free till 20 Days after emergence(DAE), horse purslane free till 40 DAE, horse purslane free till 60 DAE, all weeds free 20 DAE, all weeds free 40 DAE, all weeds free 60 DAE, Weedy check(except horse purslane), weedy check(only horse purslane), weedy check(all weeds). According to standard procedure data of growth and yield parameters of soybean and weeds were taken.Data was statistically analyzed by using Fisher's analysis of variance(ANOVA) method. Comparison of employed treatment means were done with honest significant difference(HSD), Tukey's test at 0.05 probability. The maximum biological yield was achieved in plots kept weed free over crop growth cycle 6536.0 kg ha-1 and statistically minimum yield achieved inweeds free(whole season(5145.4 kg ha-1). While T7all weeds free till 60 DAE and T4horse purslane free till 60 DAE treatments attained 6345.8 kg ha-1 and 6251.8 kg ha-1, respectively.T9(weedy check only horse purslane) horse purslane sole caused 10.81 percent more yield reduction as compared to T10(weedy check all weeds). Based upon the study, it is suggested that horse purslane should be controlled in soybean fields till 45 DAE to get benefits as the control single weed is economical as compare to all weeds.