Effect of irrigation schedule and herbicides application on growth and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in semi-arid environment

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2017–18 and 2018–19 at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to study the influence of irrigation scheduling and weed-management practices on growth and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 4 irrigation scheduling in main plot and 8 weed-management practices in subplots. Results revealed that, application of 5 irrigations at crown root initiation (CRI) + jointing + booting+ flowering + milking stage resulted in the maximum plant height (79.9 cm at harvest), crop dry-matter accumulation (385.1 g/running m at harvest), number of leaves [230/running m at 80 days after sowing (DAS)], leaf area index (2.60 at 60 DAS), crop growth rate (4.09 g/m² /day between 40-80 DAS), relative growth rate (2.66 g/g/day between 40-80 DAS), net assimilation rate (0.59 g/cm²/day between 40-80 DAS) and the biological yield (6,899 kg/ha) over irrigation at CRI and active tillering stage and irrigation at CRI + jointing + booting, and it was statistically at par with irrigation at CRI + active tillering + booting + flowering stage. Among herbicidal treatments, significantly maximum value of crop-growth parameters and biological yield (7007 kg/ha) was recorded with the application of carfentrazone ethyl 20% + sulfosulfuron 25% WG @ 100 g a.i./ha at 35 days after sowing (DAS) followed by clodinafop- propargyl 15% + metsulfuron methyl 1% @ 400 g a.i./ha 35 DAS compared to the other herbicidal treatments. But hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS showed superiority to herbicidal treatments during both the years.