Influence of weed management practices on nutrient uptake by weeds and wheat crop

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Department of Agronomy, CSKHPKV, Palampur. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block design with 7 treatments viz. metribuzin 0.21 kg ha-1 (pre), clodinafop 0.06 kg ha-1 (post), pinoxaden+metsulfuron 0.06+0.04 kg ha-1 (post), mesosulfuron+iodosulfuron 0.012+0.0024 (post), clodinafop+metsulfuron 0.06+0.004 (post), hand weeding twice (30 & 60 DAS) and weedy check. Results of the study revealed that significantly highest uptake of all the three major nutrients (NPK) by wheat was recorded with the application of clodinafop+metsulfuron 0.06+0.004 (post) and most of other herbicide treatment combinations while lowest uptake of all the major nutrients was recorded in weedy check plot. Protein content in crop followed the trend of the nutrient uptake in wheat crop. As for the nutrient uptake by weeds is concerned, the study revealed that Uncontrolled weeds at harvest stage depleted on average 61.7, 13.6 and 58.7 kg N, P and K/ha respectively. In general all the weed control treatments recorded lower nutrient removal by weeds than unweeded control.