Influence of row orientation, row spacing and weed-control methods on physiological performance of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Abstract

An experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 3 replications to study the effect of combinations of 3 row directions (north-south, south-west and bi-directional) and 2 spacings (15 cm and 20 cm) + broadcast sowing and 4 weed-control treatments (unweeded check, isoproturon 0.75 kg1 ha, isopmturon 1.50 kglha and hid-weeding twice 30 and 60 days after sowing) on performance of wheat (Triticutn nestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.). Bi-directional row orientation increased the yield due to increased leaf-area index (LAI), crop-growth rate (CGR), yield attributes and reduced the weed growth nte, followed by north-south mw direction. Closer row spacing of 15 cm reduced the weed dry matter and thus increased the LAI, CGR, yield and yield attributes of wheat over wider row spacing of 20 cm. All the weed-control treatments increased the yield, yield attributes and decreased the weed biomass significantly over the unweeded check. Isoproturon 1.5 kglha was the best among weedcontrol treatments.