Effect of Inorganic and Organic Weed Management Practices on Growth and Economics in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

An experiment comprising twelve treatments viz., Sulfosulfuran 75 WP @ 25 g a.i., Sulfosulfuran 75 WP + Metsulfuran 5 WP @ 32 g a.i. , Fenoxaprop 10 WP @100 g a.i., Pinoxaden 5 EC @ 50 g a.i. Clodinofop 15% propargyl + Metsulfuran 5 WP @ 19.71 g a.i., Halauxifen-Methyl 6.96 % W/W + Pyroxsulam 25% WG @ 19.71 g a.i., Carfentrazone ethyl 20 % + Sulfosulfuran 25 % WG @ 100 g a.i. each ha-1 at 30-35 DAS, Paddy straw within two rows @ 6.0 t ha-1 , Polythene sheet within two rows both at 8-10 DAS, Hand weeding (20 DAS and 40 DAS), Weed free, Unweeded Control was conducted in randomized block design with 3 replications at Crop Research Farm, Nawabganj, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) in wheat cv. K 1006 during Rabi 2019-20. The growth characters plant height, number of effective tillers m-2 and dry matter accumulation (g m-2) at 30, 60, 90 DAS and harvest of the crop and economics [Cost of cultivation (₹ ha-1), gross income (₹ ha-1), net income (₹ ha-1) and B:C ratio] of the treatments were recorded. The maximum plant height (28.60, 70.95, 91.65 and 104.65 cm), maximum effective tillers m-2 (184.64, 397.24, 427.76 and 418.23) and dry matter accumulation (98.60, 387.42, 748.34 and 1191.34 g m-2) at above successive crop growth stages were recorded under weed free practice. However, the net return (Rs. 60776 ha-1) and B: C ratio (1.45) was higher with the use of polythene sheet. Thus, mulching with polythene sheet could be exploited as cost effective practice for sustaining wheat production.