Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIO–EFFICACY EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT HERBICIDES AGAINST BROAD LEAVED AND GRASSY WEEDS IN COMMON WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Suresh Pal, H.B. Sharma, Rajvir Sharma and Jaibir Tomar

Abstract

Field experiment was carried out during 2008–10 at Research Farm, Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to evaluate the bio–efficacy of different herbicides against weed flora in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Data reveals that dicot or broad– leaved weeds constituted the major proportion at all growth stages of crop followed by grassy weeds. Among monocot weeds, Avena ludoviciana (6.20 and 6.95 %) and Phalaris minor (2.20 % and 2.42 %) and among dicot weeds, Chenopodium album (65.50 and 64.59 %), Melilotus indica (10.09 and 10.63 %), Coronopus didymus (8.07 and 5.61 %) and Rumex dentatus (3.36 and 5.15 %) were predominant. With regards to the weed control, all the herbicides caused the significant reduction in the densities of both broad–leaved and grasses during both the year of study. Among the herbicidal treatments, readymix applications of mesosulfuron+iodosulfuron (24.0 + 4.8 g ha-1) caused the highest reduction in the density of broad leaved and grassy weeds during both the years at all stages of crop growth, which however was statistically at par with mesosulfuron+iodosulfuron (18.0+3.6 g ha-1), sulfosulfuron+ metsulfuron (20.0 + 4.0 g ha-1) and clodinafop+metsulfuron (60.0 + 4.0 g ha-1). Thus, study suggested that ready mix application of mesosulfuron+iodosulfuron (24.0 + 4.8 g ha-1) is recommended for successful control of monocot and dicots in wheat.