Bio-efficacy of pre- & post-emergence herbicides in controlling three problematic weed species of wheat & pea crops in winter season

Abstract

The investigation was conducted during the winter season of 2014-15 to study the herbicidal efficacy of different herbicides on three problematic weed species of winter season viz., Phalaris minor, Medicago denticulata and Anagallis arvensis. The field experiment was conducted at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Wheat (UP-2526) & pea (P-25) were also grown to determine the phytotoxic effects of these herbicides, if any, on the associated crops of these weeds. The treatments consisted of clodinafop @ 60 g/ha, clodinafop+ mesosulfuron methyl @ 60 g+4.0 g/ha, sulfosulfuron @ 25g/ha, metribuzein @ 250 g/ha, pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha and trifluralin @ 1 kg/ha. This experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Among the herbicides tested in the present study, the pre-emergnce herbicides pendimethalin and trifluralin effectively controlled the germination of P. minor and A. arvensis. Among post emergence herbicides, ready mix of Clodinafop + MSM successfully controlled all the three weeds. Application of clodinafop alone seems to be effective against only P. minor whereas, sulfosulfuron and metribuzin were effective against the broad-leaved weeds. Phytotoxicity effect was observed in wheat in trifluralin treatment whereas pea exhibited toxicity symptoms in ready mix of Clodinafop + Metsulfuron methyl (MSM) and sulfosulfuron treatments.