Abstract
In order to identify the effect of herbicidal weed control practices on yield components and yield of wheat, the study was conducted at Kocha kebele in Chena district of Kaffa zone, Southwestern Ethiopia. 2,4-D amine salt (0.5 kg ha−1, 1 kg ha−1, and 1.5 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% (0.5 kg ha−1, 0.75 kg ha−1, and 1 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, pyroxsulam (0.4 kg ha−1, 0.5 kg ha−1, and 0.6 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, 2,4-D amine salt at 1 kg ha−1, clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 0.75 kg ha−1, pyroxsulam at 0.5 kg ha−1, two hand weeding 30 and 45 days after crop emergence, weed-free check, and weedy check (unweeded) were the weed control treatments. Fifteen treatments were used for the trial and arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments had a significant effect on weed community, dry matter of weeds, parameters on weed control, phenology and growth parameters, and yield components and yield of wheat. The minimum total weed dry biomass was recorded in plots treated with clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding at crop harvest. The highest weed control efficiency (93.30%) and herbicide efficiency index (27.06%) and the lowest weed index (14.18%) were recorded with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding. Higher number of grains per spike (57.9), 1000-grain weight (39.4 g ha−1), grain yield (3635.6 kg ha−1), biological yield (9004 kgha−1), and harvest index (40.23%) were recorded with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, next to weed-free check. Managing weeds with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding contributed maximum (50,745.2 ETB) net benefit. The application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at1.0 kg ha−1 plus one hand weeding can be recommended to acquire high grain yield of wheat and high economic return in the study site.
Highlights
Wheat production in Ethiopia is estimated on 1.7 million hectares and with more than 4.54 million tons; the country is the largest wheat producer in sub-Saharan Africa [1]
Description of the Experimental Site. e field experiment was conducted at Kocha kebele in Chena Woreda during 2020 main crop growing season (August to November), which is geographically located between 7 ̊ up to 7 ̊45′N latitude and ̊69′ up to ̊06′E longitude. e experimental site is located in Chena Woreda, Kaffa Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia
Galinsoga parviflora Cav. and Ageratum houstonianum Mill. were found to be maximum, and among grassy weeds, Setaria viridis was most abundantly found, but Cyperus difformis L. was the only Cyperus spp. that was found in the experimental field
Summary
Wheat is one of the most important food crops with regard to the area and volume of production since it is ranked the 3rd place succeeding to Zea mays and Eragrostis tef in percentage of production. In Southwestern Ethiopia, wheat is the third major crop following maize and root crops and ranks the second in cereals next to maize as regarding production. Farmers within the country are aware of weed hassle in their fields; often they cannot cope up with heavy weed infestation in the course of the peak period of agricultural activities. Most of their fields are weeded late or left unweeded; this is because of manual labor shortage [5]. Erefore, the current study was instigated to assess the effect of herbicidal and hand weeding control practices on weed infestations, yield attributes, and yield of wheat at Kocha kebele in Chena district of Kaffa zone For wheat production, there were no confined studies that assessed the herbicide utility and hand weeding in the study areas. erefore, the current study was instigated to assess the effect of herbicidal and hand weeding control practices on weed infestations, yield attributes, and yield of wheat at Kocha kebele in Chena district of Kaffa zone
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