Knowledge and adoption of herbicide application practices by the soybean farmers in Vidarbha
 

A systematic survey of 240 soybean growers on adoption of herbicide application practices was conducted in Akola, Buldana, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal and Wardha districts of  Vidarbha during 2013-14 as University Research Review Committee Project. The study revealed that out of 240 selected farmers 221 (92.08%) farmers applied herbicide in soybean crop. Knowledge about the recommended per ha doses of herbicides was not known to  57.08 % farmers. Power spray is never used for spraying of herbicides was not known to 29.17 % farmers in study area.  Knowledge about calibration of spray pump was not noted in majority (97.08%) farmers. Use of 500 L water per ha for herbicide application in Soybean crop is not known to more than three fourth (77.50%) per cent farmers. Overall majority 61.25 % farmers have medium level of knowledge about selected 14 herbicide application practices for soybean crop. In selected districts Imazethapyr were more popular among majority (78.28 %) herbicide adopters in soybean crop, followed by 15.85 % farmers used Imazethapyr + Imazamox. Knapsack sprayer used by 61.54% farmers and power sprayer used by 38.46 % farmers for application of herbicides in soybean. Out of the total 85 (38.46%) power sprayer users majority 73 (85.88 %) farmers have not get effective control over weeds in soybean crop. Majority 88.69 % adopter farmers used less than recommended 500 liters of water/ha for herbicide application in soybean. Use of power sprayer and low quantity of water maintained at the time of herbicide application may be the causes of poor results at farmer’s level.