African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6915

Full Length Research Paper

Optimizing herbicide use in wheat (Triticum aestivum) under rain-fed conditions

Faisal Zahoor1, M. Azim Malik2, Khalid Mehmood1*, M. Rasheed2, Ramzan Ansar2, Muzammil Hussain1, Mushtaq H. Kazmi1 and M. Jamil1      
1Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir,Rawalakot, Pakistan. 2Department of Agronomy, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.  
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 07 March 2012
  •  Published: 11 September 2012

Abstract

Widespread prevalence of weeds poses a severe threat to rain-fed wheat production in Pakistan and other places. Weed control efficacy of different herbicides and their dose rates in wheat crop was investigated under rain-fed conditions during the period of 2005 to 2006 and 2006 to 2007. Wheat variety GA-2002 was planted as a test crop. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Among different treatments, the lowest weed biomass (15.97 g m-2) was recorded in hand weeded plots followed by Buctril Super (Bromoxynil + Methtyl choloro phenoxyl acetic acid at a.i 0.45 kg ha-1and MCPA (Methtyl choloro phenoxyl acetic acid) a.i at 0.65 kg ha-1. The highest grain yield (2678 kg ha-1) was recorded with the application of Buctril super 0.45 kg ha-1 that was at par with the application of Buctril Super 0.35 kg ha-1. Weedy check treatment was at the bottom with the lowest grain yield. On the basis of two consecutive years of field study, it can be concluded that Buctril Super at 0.45 kg ha-1 was the most economical treatment with the highest BCR (1.52).

 

Key words: Wheat, weed control, herbicide rates, rain-fed conditions.