Evaluation of Combinations of Herbicides to Manage Mixed Weed Flora in Wheat

Sixteen weed control treatments viz. pinoxaden (40 g ha-1), isoproturon (1250 g ha-1) alone, isoproturon + pinoxaden (1000 + 40 g ha-1), isoproturon + pinoxaden (750 + 30 g ha-1), isoproturon + 2,4-D (1000 + 500 g ha-1), isoproturon + metsulfuron-methyl (1000 + 4 g ha-1), pinoxaden + 2,4-D (40 + 1000 g ha-1), pinoxaden + metsulfuron-methyl (40 + 4 g ha-1), isoproturon fb pinoxaden (1000 fb 40 g ha-1), isoproturon fb pinoxaden (750 fb 30 g ha-1), pinoxaden fb isoproturon (40 fb 1000 g ha-1), pinoxaden fb isoproturon (30 fb 750 g ha-1), pinoxaden fb 2,4-D (40 fb 1000 g ha-1), pinoxaden fb metsulfuron-methyl (40 fb 4 g ha-1), hand weeding (30 & 60 DAS) and weedy check were evaluated for the control of mixed weed flora in wheat at Palampur. Soil of the test site was silty clay loam in texture, acidic in reaction, medium in available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium status. Avenaludoviciana and Phalaris minor were the major weeds constituting 35 and 25.1 per cent, respectively, of total weed flora at 90 DAS. The broad-leaf weeds (Anagallis arvensis, Vicia sativa and Coronopus didymus) as a whole constituted 28.6 per cent of total weed flora. Results of the study revealed that pinoxaden fb metsulfuron methyl (40 fb 4 g ha-1) and pinoxaden + metsulfuron methyl (40 + 4 g ha-1) were superir to hand weeding and resulted in significantly lower population of Avena ludoviciana, Phalaris minor, Lolium temulentum, Anagallis arvensis, Vicia sativa and Coronopus didymus. Sequential application of pinoxaden fb metsulfuron methyl (40 fb 4 g ha-1) resulted in significantly higher grain yield, net returns (47489 ` ha-1) and net returns per rupee invested (1.97). However, pinoxaden + metsulfuron methyl (40 + 4 g ha-1) was comparable to pinoxaden fb metsulfuron methyl (40 fb 4 g ha-1) in increasing the grain yield of wheat.