Evaluation of Chemical Weed Control in Wheat at Different Densities and Sowing Methods under Rainfed Conditions

Zahid Hussain*, Khan Bahadar Marwat, Ikramullah Khan, Muhammad Saeed and Bakhtiar Gul

Department of Weed Science, Faculty of Crop Protection Sciences, NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar-Pakistan
*e-mail: zhussainpk135@yahoo.com

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Evaluation of Chemical Weed Control in Wheat at Different Densities and Sowing Methods under Rain-fed Conditions” was conducted (on variety KT-2000) at Barani Agriculture Research Station, Kohat during the wheat season 2004-2005. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design with split plot arrangement keeping three replications. Two sowing methods (Factor A) and two crop densities (Factor B) were arranged in the main plots and four herbicides (Factor C) along with weedy check in the subplots. The two crop densities were 100 and 150 kg seed ha-1 and two sowing methods were line and broadcast sowing while the herbicide treatments were fenoxaprop-P-ethyl @ 0.75 kg, isoproturon @ 1.0 kg, clodinafop propargyl@ 0.04 kg, bromoxynil+MCPA @ 0.45 kg a.i. ha-1 and a weedy check. Statistically minimum weed biomass (111 kg ha-1) was observed in bromoxynil+MCPA herbicide applied in wheat sown in lines at the density of 150 kg ha-1 followed by isoproturon (155 kg ha-1) applied in wheat sown in lines at the density of 150 kg ha-1 as compared to biomass (2188 kg ha-1) in weedy check. Similarly, number of tillers (462 m-2), grain yield (2667 kg ha-1), thousand grains weight (46.4 g) and harvest index (26.5%) were statistically maximum in bromoxynil + MCPA followed by isoproturon (394 m-2), (2294 kg ha-1), (43.3 g) and (22.6%) as compared to the weedy check (248 m-2), (1561 kg ha-1), (38.0 g) and (15.1%), respectively. The herbicides bromoxynil+MCPA @ 0.45 and isoproturon @ 1 kg a.i. ha-1 both applied post emergence in wheat sown in lines at the density of 150 kg ha-1 showed best performance in weed control and grain yield under rain-fed conditions.