Post-Emergence Herbicides for Effective Weed Management, Enhanced Wheat Productivity, Profitability and Quality in North-Western Himalayas: A ‘Participatory-Mode’ Technology Development and Dissemination

Anil K Choudhary ,Kalpana Arya ,Pankaj Sood ,Anchal Dass ,D S Yadav ,Harish M.n ,A.u Noorzai ,Shakuntla Rahi ,Jyotsna Sharma ,D.s Rana ,Adarsh Kumar ,G A Rajanna ,G N Gupta ,Mohammad Halim Khan ,Subhash Babu ,Sudhir K Rajpoot ,Anil Kumar ,Sonia Thakur ,V K Dua ,Subhash Kumar ,R.s Bana ,Roshan Lal ,Ravender Singh

doi:10.3390/su13105425

Abstract

‘Participatory-mode’ adaptive research was conducted in wheat in north-western Himalayas (NWH) during 2008–2014 to develop an improved chemical weed management (ICWM) technology. First of all, two years ‘on-farm experimentation’ was performed in a randomized block design at 10 locations in NWH using seven treatments (Clodinafop @ 60 g a.i./ha (Clod); Clod followed by 2,4-D (Na-salt) @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (Clod-fb-D); Isoproturon 75 WP @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (Iso); Iso + D; Sulfosulfuron 75% WG @ 25 g a.i./ha + Metsulfuron 5% WG @ 2 g a.i./ha (Sulf + Met); weed-free-check; and un-weeded-check). In this study, the post-emergence application of Sulf + Met reported the lowest weed-index and NPK depletion by weeds with higher weed control efficiency (86.4%), weed control index (81.1%) and herbicide efficiency index (2.62) over other herbicides. Sulf + Met exhibited significantly higher wheat productivity (3.57 t/ha), protein yield, net-returns and water-productivity, which was followed by Iso + D and Clod-fb-D, all of which remained statistically at par with each other. An impact assessment of intensive technology-transfer programme (2008–2014) revealed a higher technology adoption rate (71–98%) of ICWM leading to higher wheat productivity (~22%) and net income gains (2.8–26.4%) in NWH. Overall, Sulf + Met proved highly effective against mixed weed flora in wheat to boost wheat productivity, profitability, quality and water productivity in addition to a higher technology adoption rate and NIGs to transform rural livelihoods in NWH.

Highlights

India (Triticum aestivum L.) is the second largest producer of wheat in the world afterChina and accounts for ~13.5% of global wheat production [1]
A field investigation was performed in wheat during Rabi 2008–2009to Rabi2013–2014 by CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University (CSKHPAU), Farm Science Centre, (FSC) Sundernagar, India, situated in north-western Himalayas (NWH)
Were Phalaris minor, Avena ludoviciana, Lolium temulentum and Poa annua among narrow leaf weeds (NLWs), and Vicia sativa, Anagallis arvensis, Ranunculus arvensis and Coronopus didymus among broadleaf weeds (BLWs), which grew in association with wheat across the study years (Figures 3 and 4)

Summary

Introduction

China and accounts for ~13.5% of global wheat production [1] It is the second most important foodgrain crop in India after rice, providing ~50% of total calories and protein requirements for a vast majority of the Indian population [2]. Winter temperatures of 10 to 15◦ C and summer temperatures varying from 21 to 26 ◦ C are ideal for wheat production. It grows well in north-western Himalayan provinces of India namely, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand but with poor productivity (1.94 t ha−1 ) far below the national average [4,5]. Weed menace is a major production constraint in wheat in north-western

Methods

Results

Conclusion