Response of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) extract type, concentration and application time to weeds weight, grain and biomass yield of wheat

Abstract

High crop yield depend upon effective weeds control through commercial herbicides. However, use of commercial herbicides may pollute environment and underground water. Toxicity and resistance development against commercial herbicides demand for exploring alternative methods for weeds control. Aim of this study was to evaluate effect of sorghum water extract on weeds weight and yield of wheat cultivar “Atta Habib 2010”. Research was conducted at Agronomy Research Farm, University of Agriculture Peshawar in 2014-15. Sorghum stem (SS) and leaf (SL) extracts with three concentrations (1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 kg L) and three application time (emergence, tillering and 50% at emergence + 50 at tillering) were used. Herbicides (H) treated, hand weeding (HW) and unweeded plots were included for comparison. H treated plots produced less weeds weight (128.3 g m), higher leaf area index (LAI) (4.0), more spikes m (350), heavier thousand grains (51 g) and more biomass yield (BY) (10333 kg ha) compared to sorghum water extract sprayed plots. Among concentrations (C), sorghum water extracts sprayed at 1:3 concentration gave lower weeds weight (257 g m), more LAI (3.4), more spikes m (320) heavier thousand grains (46 g) and higher BY (9789 kg ha). Amongst application time (AT), sorghum water extracts applied at tillering resulted in low weeds weight (256 g m), higher LAI (3.2), more spikes m (315), higher thousand grains (45 g) and more BY (9621 kg ha). SL extracts gave less weeds weight (269 g m), more LAI (3.2), more spikes m (314), heavier thousand grains (45 g) and higher BY (9576 kg ha) compared with SS extracts. It is concluded that leaf water extract applied at tillering with 1:3 concentration reduced weeds weight and increased thousand grain weight of wheat and is recommended for suppressing weeds weight and enhancing thousand grain weight of wheat in agro climatic conditions of Peshawar.