Efficacy of herbicides in wheat (Triticum aestivum) with special reference to wild oat (Avena steriddis dudoviciuna) in vertisols

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2004-05 and 2005-06 at Jabalpur to assess the ef- ficacy of clodinafop-propargyl, sulfosulfuron and isoproturron as post-emergence in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.). Clodinafop @ 60 glha significantly reduced the density and dry matter of wild oat (Avena stereillis ssp. ludoviciana Dur.), but could not combat the problem of broad-leaved weeds, viz., Medicago hispida Gaertn., Lathyrus aphaca L., Chenopodium album L. and Vicia sativa L. Sulfosulfuron 25 g/ha provided effective control of both wild oat and broad-leaved weeds. lsoproturon 1,000 glha did not cause significant reduction in he population and dry matter of wild oat, but significantly reduced the problem of broad-leaved weeds. Infestation of weed throughout the crop-growth period caused 48.8% reduction in grain yield of wheat. Higher yield attributes and maximum grain yield (47.6 qlha) of wheat were recorded from two hand-weedings at 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Amongst herbicidal treatments, application of sulfosulfuron 25 g/ha (43.6 qlha), being on a par with that of clodinafop 60 glha (41.5 qlha), 120 glha (43.4 qlha) and 240 g/ha (44.5 qlha), significantly increased the grain yield of wheat and recorded the maximum net return (Rs 11,940lha).