Nutrient Uptake by Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Associated Weeds as Influenced by Fertilizer Levels and Weed Management

A field experiment was conducted to find out the nutrient uptake by wheat and associated weeds as influenced by fertilizer levels and weed management. Increasing fertilizer levels resulted in significantly better crop performance alongwith higher weed count and weed dry weight than no fertilizer. Weed control treatments increased the N, P and K uptake by the cropby 135.5 to 149.0%, 133.9 to 148.5% and 133.3 to 145.6%, respectively. As compared to the weedy check, weed control treatments reduced the N, P and K depletion by weeds by 69.2 to 75.4%, 68.2 to 74.3% and 69.2 to 75.0%, respectively. Among the weed control treatments, hand weeding recorded the maximum uptake of these nutrients by crop and the minimum depletion of NPK by weeds. Grain yield significantly increased with increasing levels of fertilizers and maximum grain yield was obtained at 160: 80: 60 kg NPK/ha. Among the weed control treatments, hand weeding being at par with isoproturon produced significantly higher grain yield than others.