Chemical control, Herbicides, Tillage, Weed dynamics, Wheat
A field experiment was conducted at Ludhiana during 2009-10 and 2010-11, study the effect of sowing methods and herbicides on weed dynamics and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Sowing methods, viz. bed planting, zero till, conventional till and stubbled sowing did not influence densities and dry matter accumulation of narrow- and broad-leaved weeds. Averaged over two seasons, bed planting, zero till and conventional till sowing methods recorded similar wheat grain yield and were statistically superior to stubbed sowing. Wheat grain yield under bed planting, zero till and conventional till methods was 25.4, 46.2 and 40.8% higher as compared to stubbled sowing. Among weed control, post-emergence application of carfentrazone + sulfosulfuron 45 g, metsulfuron + sulfosulfuron 30 g and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin 275 g/ha recorded complete control of all the narrow- and broad-leaved weeds. Mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron 12 g, sulfosulfuron 25 g, pinoxaden 50 g and clodinafop 60 g/ha recorded effective control of narrow-leaved weeds only. All these herbicidal treatments, except fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin 275 g/ha, recorded significantly higher wheat grain yield as compared to unsprayed control. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin was phototoxic to wheat plants and wheat grain yield was at par to weedy check.