Effect of tillage and herbicides on grain yield and nutrient uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum) and weeds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v52i2.4908Keywords:
Economics, Grain yield, Herbicide mixture, Nutrient depletion, Tillage, Weeds, WheatAbstract
A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2003-04 and 2004-05 on clayey soil to study the ef- fect of different tillage practices (zero tillage, zero tillage with chemically stale seed-bed, conventional tillage and deep tillage) and herbicides (clodinafop Q 0.06 kglha followed by 2,4-D Q 0.5 kglha, isoproturon Q 1.0 kglha + 2,4-D Q 0.5 kglha and weedy check) on nutrient depletion by weeds, and the grain yield and nutrient uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.). The depletion of N, P and K by weeds and uptake by crop were more or less the same under zero, conventional and deep tillage systems. Clodinafop 0.06 kglha followed by 2,4-D at 0.50 kglha gave 45.88-47.05 and 63.20-66.08 per cent higher grain yield than isoproturon + 2,4-D and weedy check respectively. The N, P and K uptake by wheat increased by 44.29-51.24, 12.00-12.87 and 8.37-9.87 kglha due to application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D, whereas isoproturon + 2,4-D increased the uptake by 10.85- 15.50, 3.12-4.63 and 2.31-2.89 kglha N, P and K respectively compared with weedy check. Maximum benefit: cost ratio was obtained with zero tillage along with application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D.References
Effect of tillage and herbicides on grain yield and nutrient uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum) and weeds
NAMRATA JAIN*, J.S. MISHRA, M.L. KEWAT1 AND VINAMARTA JAIN2
National Research Centre for Weed Science, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh 482 004
Received: August 2006
A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2003-04 and 2004-05 on clayey soil to study the ef- fect of different tillage practices (zero tillage, zero tillage with chemically stale seed-bed, conventional tillage and deep tillage) and herbicides (clodinafop Q 0.06 kglha followed by 2,4-D Q 0.5 kglha, isoproturon Q 1.0 kglha + 2,4-D Q 0.5 kglha and weedy check) on nutrient depletion by weeds, and the grain yield and nutrient uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.). The depletion of N, P and K by weeds and uptake by crop were more or less the same under zero, conventional and deep tillage systems. Clodinafop 0.06 kglha followed by 2,4-D at 0.50 kglha gave 45.88-47.05 and 63.20-66.08 per cent higher grain yield than isoproturon + 2,4-D and weedy check respectively. The N, P and K uptake by wheat increased by 44.29-51.24, 12.00-12.87 and 8.37-9.87 kglha due to application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D, whereas isoproturon + 2,4-D increased the uptake by 10.85- 15.50, 3.12-4.63 and 2.31-2.89 kglha N, P and K respectively compared with weedy check. Maximum benefit: cost ratio was obtained with zero tillage along with application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D.
Key words: Economics, Grain yield, Herbicide mixture, Nutrient depletion, Tillage, Weeds, Wheat
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) is an important cereal crop of Madhya Pradesh, invaded by both grassy and broad-leaf weeds. The intensive tillage op- erations after the harvest of transplanted rice (Olyza sativa L.) not only require a huge amount of energy and time but also increase the cost of production. To make the system economically viable, it is essential to reduce the cost of input per unit of output. Under such a situation, zero-till- age technology could be a valid option to reduce the turn- around time, cost and establishment of good crop stand of wheat without loss in productivity and sustainability of natural resources. The weeds are the major hurdle in the adoption of zero-tillage technology in wheat. Though zero tillage in wheat fields reduces the infestation of Phalaris minor, it aggaravates the problem of Avena ludoviciana as well as some broad-leaf weeds (Yaduraju and Mishra, 2002). If these weeds are not controlled in time, they re- duce the wheat yield sustainability up to 10 to 50% (Walia et al., 1990). Presently isoproturon is being used in wheat for effective control of weeds like Phalaris minor and a few others but it is not much effective against Avena ludoviciana. Hence, there is an urgent need to identify an alternative herbicide that could control it as well as other
*Corresponding author (Email: j-namratal @rediffmail.com)
predominant weeds. Effective control of weeds is impor- tant not only to check the yield losses due to weeds but also to reduce the nutrient losses. Pandey et al. (2001) re- ported nutrient depletion by weeds up to 24.3-28.6% N, 13.5-16.2% P and 22.3-25.2% K. Johri et al. (1992) found that N, P and K uptake by the crop was respectively 56,45 and 60% less, when the weeds were allowed to grow throughout the growing season compared with the weed- free plots. Combined use of tillage and herbicides may greatly check the loss of nutrients. Therefore the present investigation was carried out to find out the effect of till- age and herbicides on grain yield of wheat and nutrient re- moval by wheat and weeds.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A field experiment was conducted at National Research Centre for Weed Science, Jabalpur (23'90' N, 79'58' E, 412 m above mean sea-level) during the winter season of 2003-04 and 2004-05 after the harvest of transplanted rice. The soil was clayey, medium in organic C (0.66%) and available P (17 kgha) and K (298 kglha), low in available N (239 kgha), and neutral in reaction (pH 7.2). After the harvest of rice, 12 treatment combinations involved four tillage packages as main-plot treatments, viz. zero tillage (ZT), ZT with chemically stale seed-bed, conventional till-
Present address: 'Department of Agronomy, JNKW, Jabalpur; 'Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
age (CT) and deep tillage (DT), and three weed-control practices as subplot treatments, viz. weedy check, isoproturon @ 1.0 kgha + ethyl ester of 2,4-D @ 0.5 kg/ ha and clodinafop @ 0.06 kgha followed by ethyl ester of 2,4-D @ 0.5 kgha. These were laid out in split-plot design replicated four times. The gross plot size was 8.0 m x10.0
m. Deep tillage consisted of disc ploughing once + culti-vator twice + rotavator. Conventional tillage involved cul- tivator twice + leveller, whereas zero tillage included planting directly with zero-till seed drill in the presence of rice residue. In ZT with chemical stale seed-bed, emerged weeds were killed using glyphosate (1 % solution) before sowing. Wheat variety 'WH 147' was sown at seed rate 120 kgha by tractor-mounted zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drill in rows 20 cm apart in ZT; but in the plots receiving conventional and deep-tillage treatments, the seeds were sown with the normal seed-cum-fertilizer drill at the same row spacing. Fertilizers were applied uniformly in all the plots through urea, diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash @ 120 kg N, 26.2 kg P and 33.3 kg Kha in both the years. Half the nitrogen and full quantity of phospho- rus and potassium were given basal and the remaining ni-trogen was given in two splits just a day after the first and second irrigations in both the years. In zero-tillage plots the crop was sown on 16 November whereas; in zero-till- age plots with chemical stale seed-bed, conventional till- age and deep tillage, the crop was sown on 27 November during both the years. Isoproturon and 2,4-D were applied as tank mixed in 500 litres waterha at 25 days after sow- ing (DAS), whereas clodinafop and 2,4-D were sprayed separately at 25 and 30 DAS respectively, each in 500 litres waterha by knapsack sprayer using flat-fan nozzle.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Weed infestation
The major weeds observed in the experimental plots were Avena ludoviciana (66.75-79.22%) among mono- cotyledons and Medicago hispida (19.30-26.99%) among dicotyledons. The other weeds present in the field were Phalaris minor (0.44-0.80%),Chenopodium album (0.42-4.79%). Vicia sativa (0.10-0.18%) and Lathyrus aphaca (0.32-0.49%).
The tillage practices did not influence the intensity of weeds (Table 1). Higher population of A. ludoviciana un-der zero tillage was due to fact that flooding facilitates the wild oat seeds to float on the surface due to their lighter weight and higher surface area (Yaduraju and Mishra, 2002). Application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D re- sulted in significantly lower weed density (9.20/m2) and proved more effective than of isoproturon + 2,4-D (17.571 m2) and weedy check (22.98/m2). The efficacy of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D was more than of isoproturon + 2,4-D in reducing the population of grassy weeds. This was due to better efficacy of clodinafop against Avena ludoviciana, which accounted more than 65% of the weed population (Brar et al., 2000).
Minimum dry weight of weeds was recorded under conventional tillage but the differences were non-signifi- cant between zero tillage and deep tillage (Table 1).Appli-cation of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D recorded signifi- cantly lower dry weight of weeds than isoproturon + 2,4-D and weedy check. Bra et al. (2000) also reported effec- tive control of grassy weeds by clodinafop. Malik et al. 1988) also reported poor efficacy of isorproturon + 2,4-D
Table 1. Effect of tillage packages and herbcides on weed density (number/m2) and dry weight of weeds (g/m2) at 50 days after sowing and weed-control efficiency at harvest (pooled data of 2003-04 and 2004-05)
Treatment Avena Medicago Total Dry weight Weed-control
ludoviciana hispida weeds of weeds efficiency (%)
Zero tillage 16.02 (325.29)
Zero tillage with 14/30 (250.50)
chemical stale seed-bed
Conventional tillage 14.54 (259.00)
Deep tillage 14.69 (262.75)
SEfi 0.98
CD (P=0.05) NS
Weed control
Weedy check 16.46 (274.75)
Isoproturon + 2,4-D 12.71 (162.50)
Clodinafop fb 2,4-D 7.04 (50.44)
SEm* 0.56
CD (P=0.05) 1.63
*Data subjected to square-root transformation; original values are in parentheses
in controlling A. ludoviciana. Saini and Singh (2001) re- D was due to effective control of weeds, which provided ported significantly lower dry weight of weeds due to ap- congenial environment for crop growth. plication of clodinafop. Isoproturon + 2,4-D was however Conventional tillage reduced the NPK depletion by found significantly better in reducing the dry weight of weeds than zero tillage and deep tillage, but the differ- weeds than weedy check. ences were non-significant (Table 3). Significantly lower
Weed-control efficiency varied from 68.18 to 72.42% nutrient removal was registered in clodinafop followed by under the different tillage packages during the first year the plots treated with 2,4-D than isoproturon + 2,4-D and but it was higher under tilled condition during the second weedy check. The higher reduction in depletion under year. Clodinafop followed by 2,4-D resulted in higher clodinafop followed by 2,4-D was due to effective control weed-control efficiency than isoproturon + 2,4-D. of weeds under it. Application of isoproturon + 2,4-D re- duced the nutrient losses due to weeds owing to control of Grain yield of wheat both grassy as well as broad-leaf weeds compared with the
Variation in tillage packages also did not affect grain weedy check. Pandey et al. (2001) reported reduction in yield of wheat significantly. Herbicidal treatments, how- NPK depletion by adopting suitable weed-control prac- ever, recorded significantly higher grain yield than weedy tices. check (Table 2). The grain yield was significantly higher in the plots receiving clodinafop followed by 2,4-D after Economics different tillage packages than isopoturon + 2,4-D and Monetary returns were higher under zero tillage in the weedy check. Clodinafop followed by 2,4-D gave 45.88- first year due to higher yields and lower cost of cultivation, 47.05% and 63.20-66.08% higher grain yield over but were higher under conventional tillage in the second isoproturon + 2,4-D and weedy check respectively. year due to higher grain yield (Table 4). Postemergence Dhaliwal et al. (1998) also registered significant increase application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D was more in grain yield of wheat with clodinafop than with economical than isoproturon + 2,4-D. The higher net mon- isoproturon. etary return under the former was due to higher grain
yield. Nutrient uptake by crop and weeds The benefit :cost (B:C) ratio under zero tillage was
Tillage packages were at par in NPK uptake by wheat relatively higher than under conventional tillage, whereas (Table 3). Application of clodinafop followed by 2,4-D it was lower under zero tillage with chemical stalk seed- increased the uptake of N, P and K by wheat by 44.29- bed and deep tillage due to higher cost of cultivation. 51.24, 12.00-12.87 and 8.37-9.87 kglha, whereas Rautaray (2002) also reported higher B:C ratio under zero isoproturon + 2,4-D increased the uptake by 10.85-15.50, tillage than conventional tillage. Clodinafop followed by 3.12-4.63 and 2.31-2.89 kgha N, P and K respectively 2,4-D attained the highest B:C ratio due to considerable over the weedy check. The higher increase in nutrient up- increase in yield than isoproturon + 2,4-D. The profitabil- take by grain and straw under clodinafop followed by 2,4- ity was minimum under weedy check, due to the lower
Table 2. Effect of tillage packages and weed-control practices on grain yield of wheat (tha)
Tillage Weed control Zero tillage Zero tillage Conventional Deep Mean with chemical tillage tillage stale seed-bed
Weedy check 1.74
Isoproturon + 2,4-D 2.42
Clodinafop fb 2,4-D 4.46
Mean 2.87 2004-05
Weedy check 1.34-1.54 1.73 1.56 1.54 Isoproturon + 2,4-D 1.85 2.01 2.39 2.37 2.16 Clodinafop fb 2,4-D 4.03 4.56 4.22 4.06 4.22
Mean 2.41 2.70 2.78 2.66
Tillage (T) Weed-control (W) T x Watsame T Tx Watsame W
-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 SEm * 0.19 0.19 0.15 0.15 0.29 0.30 0.3 1 0.31 I NS NS 0.44 0.48 0.87 0.88 NS NS
CD (P=0.05)
Table 3. Effect of tillage packages and herbicides on nutrient uptake by wheat and weeds
Treatment Nutrient depletion by weeds (kgha) Total uptake by wheat (kgha) N P K N P K 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05
Zero tillage 18.24
Zero tillage with 18.80 chemical stale seed-bed
Covnentional tillage 17.7 1
Deep tillage 20.17 SEmi 2.31 CD (P=0.05) NS
Weed control
Weedy check 37.06 Isoproturon + 2,4-D 13.36 Clodinafop fb 2,4-D 5.79 SEmk 1.39 CD (P=0.05) 4.05
Table 4. Effect of tillage packages and herbicides on economics of wheat
Treatment Cost of Net monetary return (Rsha) Benefit:cost ratio
cultivation (Rsha) 2003-04 2004-05 2003-04 2004-05
ZT immediately after rice 9,204 11,706 8,065 1.81 2.18
ZT with chemical stale seed-bed 11,029 9,585 8,146 1.68 1.82
Conventional tillage 10,104 11,079 9,768 1.92 2.04
Deep tillage 10,974 7,739 8,033 1.69 1.65
Weed control
Weedy check 9,168 2,386 2,245 1.25 1.27
Isoproturon + 2,4-D 10,130 7,764 5,552 1.55 1.78
Clodinafop fb 2,4-D 11,685 19,932 17,713 2.52 2.73
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