Response of Weeds and Wheat Yield to Tillage and Weed Management

Abstract

Weed flora and yield attributes of wheat in two tillage systems (conventional and minimum tillage) with five weed management systems (unweeded control, handweeding one, post emergence application of sulfosulfuron @ 28 g ai/ha, post emergence application of fenoxaprop-P-ethyl @ 100g ai/ha, and rice straw mulch @ 4 t/ha + sulfosulfuron @ 26 g ai/ha) were evaluated in Khumaltar, Nepal from 2001-02 to 2002-03 winter season. The most common narrowleaf weed species were Alopecuros aequalis and Phalaris minor and broadleaf dicot were Chenopodium album, Coronopus didymus, Rumex crispus, Stellaria media, and Soliva anthemifolia. The population of A. aequalis, P. minor, R. crispus, and S. media was more in conventional tillage at 4 weeks after sowing compared to minimum tillage. The total population of narrowleaf weeds was higher in conventional tillage than in minimum tillage at 4 and 8 weeks after sowing. Sulfosulfuron gave broader spectrum of weed control than fenoxaprop-P- ethyl. Sulfosulfuron has suppressed both narrowleaf and broadleaf weeds. Fenoxyprop-P-ethyl suppressed only narrowleaf weeds, but broadleaf weeds like C. album, C. didymus, R. crispus, S. anthemifolia, and S. media were not suppressed. Among the weed management treatments, sulfosulfuron, handweeding one, and straw mulch + sulfosulfuron were the best in terms of weed suppression and yield attributes. There was no impact of conventional tillage and minimum tillage on grain yield of wheat.