Bio-efficacy of various herbicides and their mixtures on weeds and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under subtropical agro-ecosystem
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v52i1.4890Keywords:
Herbicides, Weeds, Nutrient uptake, Economics, Yield, WheatAbstract
A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to study the effect of various herbicides and their mixtures on weed growth, yield attribute and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) under irrigated conditions of subtropical agro-ecosystem of Jammu region. The weed flora observed at site were Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Phalaris minor, Trachyspermum and Euphorbia helioscopia, of which the relative density of individual weed species out of total weeds corresponds to 1.1 1 to 4.69 per cent on application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha) at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Among the weed-control treatments, fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha), though on a par with either tank mix ap- plication of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha), isoproturon+2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) or alone application of sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha), metribuzin (175 or 200 g ailha) and isoproturon (1,000 g ailha), reduced the dry weight of weeds significantly than weedy check and other herbicide treatments. It led to significant increase in the yield attributes, viz. effective tillerslm, grainslear and 1,000-grain weight, and the yield of wheat than the rest of the treatments, during both the years of experimentation. Maximum grain yield and yield attributes were recorded in weed-free plots, and reduction of 42.29 and 38.27 per cent in yield was observed in weedy check plots during 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.References
Bio-efficacy of various herbicides and their mixtures on weeds and yield of wheat
(Triticum aestivum) under subtropical agro-ecosystem
RAJEEV BHARAT AND DlLEEP KACHROO
Division of Agronomy, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, J&K
Received :December 2006
A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to study the effect of various herbicides and their mixtures on weed growth, yield attribute and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) under irrigated conditions of subtropical agro-ecosystem of Jammu region. The weed flora observed at site were Anagallis arvensis, Poa annua, Phalaris minor, Trachyspermum and Euphorbia helioscopia, of which the relative density of individual weed species out of total weeds corresponds to 1.1 1 to
69 per cent on application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha) at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Among the weed-control treatments, fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha), though on a par with either tank mix ap- plication of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha), isoproturon+2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) or alone application of sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha), metribuzin (175 or 200 g ailha) and isoproturon (1,000 g ailha), reduced the dry weight of weeds significantly than weedy check and other herbicide treatments. It led to significant increase in the yield attributes, viz. effective tillerslm, grainslear and 1,000-grain weight, and the yield of wheat than the rest of the treatments, during both the years of experimentation. Maximum grain yield and yield attributes were recorded in weed-free plots, and reduction of 42.29 and 38.27 per cent in yield was observed in weedy check plots during 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Key words:Herbicides, Weeds, Nutrient uptake, Economics, Yield, Wheat
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) occupies a prominent place as an important crop contributing 40 per cent in the total foodgrain production, and is next only to rice (Oryza sativa L.). In Jamrnu & Kashmir wheat is grown on 0.28 million ha land and contributes 0.34 million tonnes foodgrains, with an average productivity of 1.32 tonneslha (Anonymous, 2002). However, its productivity is quite low. Weeds are one of the major factors affecting the productivity, resulting in 30-50 per cent losses in crop yield (Dwivedi et al., 1996), and therefore need immediate attention. Due to high fertility and irrigation requirement, wheat is infested with heavy population of Phalaris minor, Avena ludoviciana, Chenopodium album, Vicia sativa, Melilotus indica and other prominent weeds. Continuous use of isoproturon for 10-15 years in rice-wheat cropping system has led to development of resistance in Phalaris minor (Malik and Singh, 1993), necessitating a look for new alternative herbicides having different mechanism of action besides being selective to wheat and subsequent crop. Hence the present investigation was undertaken to test the efficacy of some new-generation herbcides along with widely used ones, i.e. isoproturon and 2,4-D, either alone or in combination as mixtures against weeds in wheat under the subtropical conditions of Jammu region.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A field experiment was conducted at the research farm, FOA, Main campus, Chatha of SKUAST-Jammu during winter (rabi) season of 2004-05 and 2005-06. The soil was sandy loam, slightly alkaline in reaction (7.1), low in organic carbon (0.48%) and available nitrogen (210 kg/ ha), and medium in available phosphorus (15.5 kglha) and potassium (135 kglha). Wheat variety 'PBW 343' was sown in lines 20 cm apart by kera method on 4 November during both the years, using 100 kg seedlha. Recom- mended dose of fertilizers (100 kg N, 60 kg P,O, and 60 kg K,Olha) was uniformly applied to all the treatments. Full dose of P and K and half the dose of N were applied basal at the time of sowing and the rest N in two equal splits of one-fourth was top-dressed at crown-root initia- tion and booting stages during both the crop seasons. The experiment comprised 15 treatments, i.e. T,, weedy check; T,, weed-free treatment; T,, isoproturon (1,000 g aha); T,, sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha); T,, clodinafop (60 g ailha); T,, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (120 g ailha); T,, 2,4-D (750 g ailha); T,, metsulfuron methyl (4 g ailha); T,, metribuzin (175 g ailha); TI,, metribuzin (200 g ailha); T,,, sulfosulfuron+2,4-D (25+500 g ailha); TI,, isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha); TI,, clodinafop + 2,4-D (60+500 g adha); T,,, clodinafop+metsulfuron me-, thy1 (60+2 g ailha); and T,,, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin (120+ 100 g ailha). These were arranged in ran- domized block design with three replications. Herbicide treatments were applied 30 days after sowing (DAS) with the help of knapsack sprayer fitted with flat-fan T- jet nozzle, at a spray volume of 500 litreslha. Observations on weed composition and dry matter were recorded from two random quadrats of 0.25 m-2 in each plot.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The major weed flora at the experimental site com- prised broad-leaf weeds Anagallis arvensis, Trachyspermum spp. and Euphorbia helioscopia; and grassy weeds Poa annua and Phalaris minor. The relative density of individual weed species in percentage of total weed density at various stages of crop growth during both the crop seasons under weedy check conditions is given in Table 1. It shows that during 2004-05 and 2005-06 the infestation with grassy weeds was maximum during 60-90 days after sowing (DAS), ranging from 54.22 to 55.62 per cent respectively. Among the grasses, Poa annua was 48.52, 51.15, 52.59 and 44.10 per cent at 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAS respectively.
However, the response of these herbicides on relative density of individual weed species at 60 DAS (Table 2) revealed that the highest relative density of Poa annua was found in weedy check (5 1.15%), whereas the application of metribuzin alone at 200 g ailha gave effective control, followed by that of metribuzin (175 g ailha), fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha) and their alone application. Similarly, the lowest relative density of Phalaris minor out of the total weed density was found on application of either fenoxaprop (120 g ailha), sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha) or isoproturon (1,000 g ailha) or their combinations with metribuzin and 2,4-D. The weeds mainly Trachyspermum spp., Anagallis awensis and Eu- phorbia helioscopia were minimum in per cent relative density when metribuzin alone at 200 g ailha or in combi- nation with fenoxaprop (120+ 100 g ailha) was applied, which was closely followed by sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha) alone or as tank mix with 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha). This may be due to the effective control of grassy weeds by fenoxaprop and broad-spectrum effect of sulfosulfuron and metribuzin, which might have interfered in the photo- synthetic apparatus of these weed species, thereby caus- ing their mortality.
Weed population and dry weight
Different weed-control treatments significantly de- creased the total number of weeds and their dry weights compared with the weedy check at 60 DAS during both the crop seasons (Table 3). Among the herbicides, applica- tion of tank mixture of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+ 100 g ailha), though being statistically on a par with either tank mix application of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), clodinafop + metsulfuron (g ailha), isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) or application of metribuzin alone both at 175 or 200 g ailha, reduced the total weed popula- tion significantly than the weedy check and other herbicide treatments at 60 DAS during both the crop seasons. Simi- larly, though a similar trend was observed with all the ap- plied herbicides in reduction of dry weight of weeds dur- ing both the years of experimentation, application of sulfosulfuron alone (25 g ailha) and isoproturon alone (1,000 g ailha) proved similar to these treatments during 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively. This may be because sulfosulfuron, isoproturon and metribuzin are broad-spec- trum herbicides, whereas the tank mixtures of clodinafop, fenoxaprop, sulfosulfuron and isoproturon with either 2,4- D or metribuzin at reduced doses may have acted syner- gistically in broadening the spectrum of weed control. These results are in conformity with those of Singh et al.
Table 1. Relative density of individual weed species in percentage of the total weed density at various stages of crop growth under weedy conditions
Weed species 2004-05 (days after sowing) 2005-06 (days after sowing)
60 90 120 30 60 90 120
Grassy weed
Phalaris minor
Broad-leaf weed
Trachyspermum spp.
Anagallis arvensis
Euphorbia helioscopia
Table 2. Density of different weeds (60 DAS) in wheat as influenced by different herbicides during both the years z
Treatment Dose Poa annua Phalaris minor Trachyspermum sp. Anagallis arvensis Euphorbia helioscopia 3
(g ailha) 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005'06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06
Weedy check 5.69 5.55
(32.00) (30.67) Weed-free treatment 0.71 0.71
(0.00) (0.00) Isoproturon 3.23 2.90
(10.00) (8.00) Sulfosulfuron 2.90 2.53
(8.00) (6.00) Clodinafop 5.63 5.41
(31.33) (29.33) Fenoxaprop 5.07 5.33
(25.33) (28.00) 2,4-D 1.78 2.08
(2.67) (4.00)
Metsulfuron methyl 1.78 1.58 $
(2.67) (2.00) * Metribuzin 2.53 2.08 8
(6.00) (4.00) Metribuzin 1.94 1.96 8
(3.33) (3.33) 8 Sulfosulfuron+ 2,4-D .,* 2.06 1.96
(4.67) (3.33) l2 Isoproturon+2,4-D 2.65 2.23 g
(6.67) Clodinafop+2,4-D 3.51
(12.00) (10.67) p Clodinafop+metsulfuron 2.79 1.94
(7.33) (3.33) Fenoxaprop+metribuzin 2.53 1.96
(6.00) (3.33) CD (P=0.05) 1.20 1.01
Data subjected to square-root (e5) transformation; Figures in parentheses are original values
Treatment Weedy check Dose (g ailha) Weed population (no./m2) 2004-05 2005-06 Dry weight of weeds (g/m2) 2004-05 2005-06 Weed-control efficiency (%) 2004-05 2005-06
Weed-free treatment
Isoproturon
Sulfosulfuron
Clodinafop
Fenoxaprop
Metsulfuron methyl
Metribuzin
Metribuzin
Sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D
Isoproturon+2,4-D
Clodinafop+2,4-D
Clodinafop+metsulfuron
Fenoxaprop+metribuzin
CD (P=0.05) Data subjected to square-root (4x5) transformation; Figures in parentheses are original values
(2003) and Punia et al., 2004). Maximum weed-control efficiency was observed with the application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha) and sulfosulfuron+ 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha) respectively during both the years of experimentation. The higher weed- control efficiency may be attributed to lower dry weight of weeds.
Yield and yield attributes
Maximum yield attributes and yield were recorded in weed-free plots during both the crop seasons, because no weeds were observed in weed-free plots, which may have resulted in increased nutrient, water, space and light supply to the wheat crop due to absence of crop-weed competition. This in turn might have resulted in greater photosynthesis and hence better translocation of photosyn- thates besides larger sink and stronger reproductive phase, as reflected in maximum effective tillerslm, grainslear and 1,000-grain weight (Table 4). Among the herbicides, tank mix application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ail ha), isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha), clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha), isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) or alone application of metribuzin both at 175 or 200 g ailha, sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha) and isoproturon (1,000 g ailha), though statistically on a par with each other, increased the yield attributes of wheat, viz. grainslear and 1,000-grain weight, significantly com- pared with weedy check and other herbicide treatments. Though similar trend was observed for effective tillerslm of wheat except with application of metribuzin (175 or 200 g ailha), it was not similar to these treatments during both the years of experimentation, perhaps due to phyto- toxic effects of metribuzin on wheat at either doses. Sharma (2003) expressed similar views.
Among the herbicide treatments, tank mix application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha),
Table 4. Yield attributes and benefit:cost ratio of wheat as influenced by various herbicides during both the years Treatment Dose Effective Grainslear 1,000-grain Grain yield Benefit:cost
(g aim tillerslm
-05 2005-06 2004-05
Weedy check
Weed-free treatment
Isoproturon
Sulfosulfuron
Clodinafop
Fenoxaprop
Metsulfuron methyl
Metribuzin
Metribuzin
Sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D
Isoproturon+2,4-D
Clodinafop+2,4-D
Clodinafop+metsulfuron
Fenoxaprop+metribuzin
CD (P=0.05)
sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha), isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) or alone application of metribuzin (175 g ai/ha), sulfosulfuron (25 g ai/ha) and isoproturon (1,000 g ai/ha) applied at 30 days stage of wheat during 2004-05, though on a par with each other, increased the yield of wheat significantly compared with weedy check and other herbicide treatments. However, though a similar trend was observed with all the applied herbicides, application of metribuzin (175 g ailha) was not found similar to these treatments during the second year of experimentation. However, tank mix application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g ailha), sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha) and isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha) gave yield similar to that of weed-free plots during 2004-05, whereas application of sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha) and clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g aiha) proved similar to that of weed- free plots during the second crop season. However, fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120 + 100 g ai/ha) was not simi- lar to these treatments during the second year, because of lower weed population and dry weight of weeds due to significant control of weeds by these treatments, which might have shifted the competition for moisture, nutrients, space and light in favour of the crop rather than of weeds. These results are in close conformity with those reported by Singh et al. (1998,2003), Azad et al. (2003) and Punia et al. (2004).
Nutrient studies
N, P and K uptake by weeds at harvest
Among the applied herbcidies, tank mixture of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), though on a par
weight (g) (qw ratio 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06
with tank mixture of isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ail ha) and clodinafop+metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha), signifi- cantly reduced the N, P and K uptake by weeds compared with the weedy check and other herbicide treatments at harvest stage during 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively (Table 5). However, the application of fenoxaprop + metribuzin (120+100 g ailha), metribuzin (175 or 200 g ail ha), 2,4-D (750 g ailha) and metsulfuron methyl (4 g ail ha) during 2004-05 proved significantly equally effective in reducing the N, P and K uptake by heeds than other treatments.
N, P and K uptake by wheat at harvest
Application of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+ 100 g ail ha), though on a par with tank mixture of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25+500 g ailha), isoproturon+2,4-D (750+500 g ail ha) and clodinafop + metsulfuron (60+2 g ailha) besides alone application of sulfosulfuron (25 g aha) applied at 30 DAS during 2004-05, resulted in maximum N and P uptake and differed significantly than weedy check and other herbicide treatments at harvest stage (Table 5). However, sulfosulfuron (25 g ailha) was not similar to these treatments in increasing the K uptake by weeds significantly. During 2005-06, though a similar trend was observed with all the applied herbicides, the application of tank mixture of fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+ 100 g ailha) was not similar to these treatments.
The benefit:cost (B:C) ratio as influenced by various herbicide treatments (Table 4) reveals that minimum cost of cultivation was observed in weedy check plots and the
Table 5. Total N, P and K uptake by wheat and weeds in wheat as influenced by various herbicides at harvest stage during both the years
Treatment Dose N uptake (kgha) P uptake (kgha) K uptake (kgha)
(g aim Wheat Weeds Wheat Weeds Wheat Weeds
-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06 2004-05 2005-06
Weedy check
Weed-free treatment
Isoproturon
Sulfosulfuron ,
Clodinafop
Fenoxaprop
Metsulfuron methyl
Metribuzin
Metribuzin
Sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D
Isoproturon+2,4-D
Clodinafop+2,4-D
Clodinafop+rnetsulfuron
Fenoxaprop+metribuzin
CD (P=0.05)
Data subjected to square-root (dx+0.5) transformation; Figures in parentheses are original values
March 20071 BIO-EFFICACY OF HERBICIDES FOR WHEAT
maximum returns were obtained in weed-free plots during both the years. However, higher B:C ratio was observed in the plots treated with tank mixture of isoproturon + 2,4-D (750+500 g ailha), followed by alone application of isoproturon (1,000 g ailha) and metribuzin (175 g aiha) respectively, and the minimum B:C ratio was recorded in weedy check plots (1.1 1) on an average during both the years of experimentation.
REFEREPJCES
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