Bio-efficacy of herbicides on weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and its residual effect on succeeding cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Field and pot experiments were conducted during rabi between 2004–05 and 2005–06 to study the effect of various herbicides and its mixtures on weeds and yield of wheat under irrigated conditions of Jammu. Among the different weed control treatments, fenoxaprop+metribuzin (120+100 g/ha) being at par with either tank mix application of sulfosulfuron + 2,4-D (25 + 500 g/ha) though and clodinafop + metsulfuron methyl (60 + 2 g/ha), or alone application of sulfosulfuron (25 g/ha) and metribuzin (175 g/ha or 200 g/ha) reduced the population of Poa annua, Phalaris minor, Trachyspermum spp., Anagallis arvensis and Euphorbia helioscopia and total weed biomass than weedy check besides significant reduction in N, P and K uptake by weeds thereby increasing the nutrient uptake and grain yield of wheat. Weeds caused 40.25% reduction in grain yield of wheat compared with weedy free plots. Residual effect of various herbicides and their mixtures applied in wheat on growth of succeeding cucurbits was not significant. Tank mix application of isoproturon+2, 4-D (750 + 500 g/ha) was the most economical treatment.