Effect of herbicides on weed control efficiency (%), yield attributes, yield and profitability of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A field experiment entitled “Evaluation of herbicide for control of complex weed flora in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)” was conducted at Crop Research Station, Masodha (U.P.) during Rabi season of 2011-12 and 2012-13 with an objective to evaluate the herbicide against grassy and broad leaved weeds. To find out the effect of weed control on weeds, yield of wheat and to find out the economics of various treatment combinations. The soil of the experimental field was silt loam, having pH 7.6, organic carbon 0.42, available N, P and K 145, 17.5 and 224 kg ha-1, respectively, Field trial was laid out in RBD with three replication, having fourteen treatments viz. Metribuzin 210 g ha-1, Clodinafop 60 g ha-1, Pinoxaden 40 g ha-1, Sulfosulfuron 25 g ha-1, Clodinafop + Metribuzin 60 + 210 g ha-1, Pinoxaden + Metribuzin 40 + 210 g ha-1, Sulfosulfuron + Metribuzin 25 + 210 g ha-1, Accord Plus (Fenoxaprop+Metribuzin) (120+210 gha-1) 1500 ml ha-1,Total (Sulfosulfuron + Metsulfuron) (32 g ha-1,) 40 g ha-1, Atlantis (Mesosulfuron + Iodosulfuron) (14.4 g ha-1) 400 g ha-1, Vesta (Clodinafop + Metsulfuron) (60+4 g ha-1) 400 g ha-1 and Isoproturon + 2,4-D 1000+500 g ha-1, weed free and weedy check. The herbicides treatment were executed at 35 DAS with the help of manually operated knapsack sprayer fitted with flat fan nozzle. The minimum weed dry weight and maximum WCE(88.76%) were recorded with with Vesta (Clodinafop + Metsulfuron) (60+4 g ha-1) 400 g ha-1 which was at par with Tota l(Sulfosulfuron + Metsulfuron) (32 g ha-1,) 40 g ha-1, and significantly better for effective weed control as compared to rest of the herbicidal treatment. All the yield contributing characters viz., no. of spike m-2, no. of grain spike-1, 1000-grain weight as well as grain yields were significantly higher in weed free over rest of the treatments. Among herbicides maximum no. of spike m-2 (437.85) no. of grain (40.12)spike-1, 1000-grain weight (37.33g) as well as grain yields (52.81q/ha.) were recorded with Vesta (Clodinafop + Metsulfuron) (60+4 g ha-1) 400 g ha-1 With respect to economics, Vesta (Clodinafop + Metsulfuron) (60+4 g ha-1) 400 g ha-1 recorded maximum net return (Rs. 59895) and B-C ratio (Rs. 2.43).