Comparative efficacy of different broad-spectrumweedicides on wheat crop and their impact on yield

Abstract

Wheat Triticum aestivum L. is cereal and the predominant food crop in Pakistan, cultivated on an area of greater than one million hectares. A number of factors, including weeds, have affected yield in this crop. The weeds are competing with wheat plants for moisture, space, nutrients, light and a number of other growth factors which contribute to low yield and are determental to the quality of produce. A yield loss of 10 to 60% can be attributed to weeds. In fact, the only acceptable method of weed control will be the use of herbicides, due to rising labour and power costs. An experiment was laid out under irrigation system in Tehsil Samundri, to determine the broad and narrow leaf weed population in different area in wheat crop field and efficacy of five different broad spectrum weedicides during Rabi crop season. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, with plot size of 200x 180 m². Five different herbicides were applied as Atlantis 3.6 % WG @100 gm/ Acre, Isoproturan 50 % WP @ 800gm / Acre, Affinity 50 WP @ 800 gm/Acre, Proturon 50 % WP @ 800 gm/Acre and Pallas 45OD @ 160ml/Acre with control treatment. An average of 50.63/ m² of weed population was observed. All weedicides significantly decreased weed population over control and maximum grain yield (40.55mon acre-1) was obtained where Affinity was applied @ 800 gm/acre. It was however statistically at par with the grain yield of 38.40mon acre-1 where Atlantis was applied @ 160 gm/ Ac. The control was obtained from all the herbalicidal applications. Therefore, in order to control broad and narrow leaf weeds and increase the yield of wheat it is recommended that Affinity and Atlantis be applied 800 and 160gm @acres respectively