Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

INFLUENCE OF VARIETIES AND ORGANIC MULCHES ON WEEDSUPPRESSIVE ABILITY, GROWTH AND YIELD OF SPRING WHEAT

Diwakar Mani, M. K. Singh* and S. K. Prasad

Abstract

Weeds are the major obstacles for enhancing wheat productivity. Rise in herbicide resistant weeds and shift in weed flora, warrants urgent attention on non-chemical approaches of weed management. Keeping these in view, a factorial experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design, during winter season of 2012-13. The treatments comprised of five wheat varieties [C-306, K-8027, K-0307, DBW-39 and HD-2888] and four mulching [No-mulch, rice straw (RS) 6 t/ha, maize straw (MS) 6 t/ha, and saw dust (SD) 6 t/ha] treatments. Among tested wheat varieties, DBW-39 and K-0307 smoother predominant weeds, reduced total weed density (20-40 per cent) and biomass (22-31 per cent); besides, they also showed higher plant height, population (especially during critical period of crop-weed competition) and test weight. DBW- 39 produced higher yield to the tune of 2539 per cent over other varieties. Surface application of RS and MS mulches reduced the growth of predominant weeds, like Chenopodium album, Melilotus alba, and Phalaris minor; along with reduced density and biomass of total weed by nearly 50.0 per cent over no-mulch control. Furthermore, application of RS and MS produced 34.0 and 28.0 per cent higher yield over no-mulch. SD mulch was not effective in weed suppression and enhancing yield.