Seed production, weed management, wheat, seed quality, cost

A field experiment was carried out at Research Farm of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, West Bengal during winter (rabi) seasons of 2007-08 and 2008-09 to study the efficacy of different weed management practices on economical, quality wheat (variety PBW 343) seed production. Uncontrolled weeds reduced the wheat seed yield upto 34%. Highest wheat seed yield was observed with two manual weedings followed by hoeing (dutch hoe) + isoguard plus, due to effective weed control.  Despite of additional cost for weed management, all the weed management treatments resulted in additional wheat seed production and additional benefit. Wheat seed produced by weed management in wheat with hoeing at 21 DAS + isoguard plus 1250 g/ha or metribuzin 175 g/ha at 28 DAS showed high vigour in seedling parameters though other treatments were also better than weedy check and seed of local farmers’ field.