Economics and yield of wheat as affected by pre and post-emergence herbicides in western Terai Region of Nepal

A field experiment was conducted to assess the growth, yield and profitability of wheat under different herbicides application in Kapilvastu and Rupandehi district, Nepal during winter season of 2018. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments and five replications. The four treatments comprised of Pendimethalin 30 EC at 3.3 l ha-1 as a pre emergence herbicide, sulfosulfuron 75 WG at 33.3 g ha-1 as post emergence, pendimethalin 30 EC at 3.3 l ha-1 followed by sulfosulfuron 75 WG at 33.3 g ha-1 and weedy check (control treatment). Results revealed that application of pendimethalin 30 EC at 3.3 l ha-1 followed by sulfosulfuron 75 WG at 33.3 g ha-1 significantly reduced the weed population and produced higher wheat grain yield (4487 kg ha-1). Economic analysis of different herbicides application also showed the highest net returns (NPR. 50,940 ha-1) for application of pendimethalin followed by sulfosulfuron treatments. Among the tested herbicides, both pendimethalin and sulfosulfuron were found effective to weed management and profitable over weedy check.