Effect of different weed management practices on weed growth, wheat yield attributes and yield

A field experiment was conducted at Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh during rabi season of 2020–21, to determine the most effective herbicide and herbicide combinations for controlling the Phalaris minor and other weeds in wheat. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising six chemical weed management treatments T1, prosulfocarb 80 EC @ 1600 ml/ha (PE); T2, prosulfocarb 80 EC @ 2000 ml/ha (PE); T3, prosulfocarb 80 EC @ 3000 ml/ha (PE); T4, sulfosulfuron @ 25 g/ha (PoE); T5, clodinofop + metsulfuron @ 60 + 4g/ha (PoE); T6, sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron @ 30 + 2 g/ha (PoE) as post-emergence herbicide and herbicide combinations and three non-chemical treatments as T7, weed free up to 60 DAS; T8, weedy check and T9, 2 hand-weeding at 20 and 40 days after sowing (DAS). The results showed that weed free up to 60 DAS, recorded significantly the lowest population of Phalaris minor and other weeds as compared other treatments at 60, 90 DAS and harvesting stage. Weed free up to 60 DAS recorded lowest amount of weed dry weight (8.5g/m³) significantly lowerother weed control treatments. Among the herbicides, spray of sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron (30 + 2 g/ha) recorded significantly lower dry-matter (25.8g/m³) compared to herbicide applied in combinations or as alone. Combined application of herbicides was found more effective in improving growth character and yield parameters as compared to sole application of herbicides. However, weed free up to 60 DAS produced highest yield but unavailability of labours at right times and its high wages makes it uneconomical.