Integrated Effect of Tillage and Herbicides on Wheat Crop

Abstract

Combining tillage with herbicides is an economical and efficient method for weed management and yield improvement in wheat. A two-year study was conducted having three tillage levels viz. 2″ tillage (shallow tillage, ST), 4″ tillage (conventional tillage, CT) and 6″ tillage (deep tillage, DT). The weed control treatments were five including three herbicides i.e. bromoxynil + MCPA (a broad-leaf weed killer), fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (a grass killer) and isoproturon + carfentrazone (a broad-spectrum herbicide), along with a hand weeding (HW) and a weedy check (WC). Results showed that the recorded parameters were significantly affected by the varying tillage depths, herbicide applications and their interactions. The weed density and biomass were the highest in ST and the lowest in DT, while among the weed control treatments, the weed density and biomass were highest in WC and lowest in HW. On the other hand, the DT treatments resulted in highest number of spikes m−2, 1000-grain weight (TGW), biological yield and grain yield; while ST showed the lowest values. Among the weed control treatments, the number of spikes, TGW, biological and grain yields were the highest in HW and the lowest in WC treatments. The herbicide isoproturon + carfentrazone performed the best among the three applied herbicides in diminishing the weed population density and biomass, and improving the number of spikes, TGW, biological and grain yields. In conclusion, the combination of deep tillage and herbicide isoproturon + carfentrazone can prove to be the best option for optimum weed management in wheat at higher altitudes.