IMPACT OF WHEAT ESTABLISHMENT METHODS AND WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON WEED FLORA, YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF WHEAT IN RICE-WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEM

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Crop Research Centre of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar during continuous two years to study the weed flora, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different wheat establishment methods in main plots and seven weed management in sub plots. Phalaris minor was the most dominant weed at 60 DAS contributed 55.0 per cent of total weed population. Melilotusindica was the major non grassy weeds in wheat which contributed 11 per cent to total weed population during respective years. Sowing of wheat with zero tillage significantly reduced the Phalaris minor density as compared to conventionally tilled wheat after transplanted rice, 60 per cent Phalaris minor emerged from 0-3 cm in reduced and conventional tillage where as in zero tillage after transplanted rice there was 55 per cent emergence from 0-3 cm layer.The highest grain yield was obtained in two hand weedings done at 30 and 60 DAS and was at par with Isoproturon 1.0 kg ha-1 + Metsulfuron methyl 4 g ha-1 at 30 DAS and Clodinafop – Propargyl 60 g ha-1 at 30 DAS fb. Metsulfuron methyl 4 g ha-1 at 37 DAS. Zero tillage resulted in significantly higher uptake of NPK by wheat plants as compared to conventional tillage, whereas reduced tillage recorded minimum NPK, which was significantly lower over the other treatments of wheat establishment methods.