Effect of Phyto-extracts and Herbicides On Weed Flora in Wheat Crop

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Effect of phytoextracts and herbicides on weed flora in wheat crop” was carried out at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut (U.P.), during rabi season of 2021-22 and 2022-23. Experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications keeping twelve treatments of weed management i.e - (T₁) Weedy check, (T2) Weed – free, (T3) PhE – Parthenium, (T4) PhE – Guava, (T5) PhE – Mango, (T6) PhE – Eucalyptus, (T7) Sulfosulfuron 75 WP @ 25g ha-1 PoE, (T8) Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 120g ha-1 PoE, (T9) PhE-Parthenium fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 120g ha-1 PoE, (T10) PhE-Guava fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 120g ha-1 PoE, (T11) PhE-Mango fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 120g ha-1 PoE and (T12) PhE-Eucalyptus fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 120g ha-1 PoE. All weed control practices were proved effective to control weeds in wheat crop and produced significantly higher grain and straw yield over all weedy check. Among the herbicidal treatments Phe -parthenium fb Fenoxaprop p– ethyl (T9), PhEGuava fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (T10), PhE-Mango fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (T11) followed by PhE-Eucalyptus fb Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (T12) significantly reduced weed density and dry matter with higher weed control efficiency, whereas these treatments were also produced significantly higher grain and straw yield than other treatments but application of Phe -parthenium fb Fenoxaprop p– ethyl treatments was proved most profitable with higher value of net return and BC ratio. Thus the application of Phe - parthenium fb Fenoxaprop p– ethyl is concluded the best for effective weed control, higher productivity and profitability of wheat crop. This validates the allelopathic potential of all four phytoextracts in controlling Phalaris minor, Chenopodium album, Anagallis arvensis, Rumex dentata and other weeds. A laboratory experiment was also carried out to best the effective of phytoextract on seed germination and seedling vigour index, of wheat and weed seed in Completely Randomized Block Design (CRD) with three treatments i.e. were control (distilled water), PhE – Parthenium, PhE – Guava, PhE – Mango, PhE – Eucalyptus and PhE – Parthenium+ Guava+ Mango+ Eucalyptus, each with three replications to assess the allelopathic potential on wheat, Phalaris minor and Rumex dentata . The germination inhibiton percent of Phalaris minor and Rumex dentata was significantly inhibited in response to aqueous extracts of parthenium, guava, mango and eucalyptus, but the wheat crop was found unaffected. The seed vigour index was observed under phyto-extract of parthenium, guava, mango and eucalyptus, came to be the best treatment that drastically reduced seed vigour index of Phalaris minor and Rumex dentata and maintained wheat population. Whereas the allelopathic potential of aqueous extract of parthenium was proved more effective than guava, mango and eucalyptus, it has also recorded higher wheat yield with better weed control. In general phytoextract of partheium, guava, mango and eucalyptus could be a useful plant product for the possible utilization as a bio-herbicide under Integrated Weed Management Programs (IWMPs) or weed management in Organic Crops Production System in future. Moreover there is a need to explore the very potential of the allelochemicals present in the proposed phyto-extracts of parthenium, guava, mango and eucalyptus along with conformity of results obtained under study. Hence, these phytoextracts due to their weed suppressing ability can be used as potential herbicides for future weed management programmes as these are natural plant products, easily biodegradable and eco-friendly.