Performance of herbicides for control of broad-leaved weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2021-22 on sandy loam soil at the Agricultural Research Farm (Pili Kothi), Department of Agronomy, Tilak Dhari Post Graduate College, Jaunpur (U.P.). The trial was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications and comprised ten treatments: weedy check (T1), weed-free (T2), metsulfuron-methyl @ 0.004 kg ha⁻¹ (T3), carfentrazone @ 0.02 kg ha⁻¹ (T4), pendimethalin @ 1.25 kg ha⁻¹ (T5), sulfosulfuron @ 0.025 kg ha⁻¹ (T6), metribuzin @ 0.2 kg ha⁻¹ (T7), 2,4-D @ 0.500 kg ha⁻¹ (T8), sulfosulfuron + metsulfuron @ 32 g ha⁻¹ (T9), and clodinofop + metsulfuron @ 60 + 4 g ha⁻¹ (T10). Wheat variety HD-2967 was used as the test crop. Among herbicidal treatments, carfentrazone @ 0.02 kg ha⁻¹ recorded maximum plant height and dry matter accumulation across growth stages, which translated into superior yield attributes—effective plant population (307 m⁻²), grains ear⁻¹ (52.0), and 1000-grain weight (39.03 g). Consequently, carfentrazone produced the highest grain yield (4455.33 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (6214.75 kg ha⁻¹), and biological yield (10,670.80 kg ha⁻¹), significantly outperforming other weed control treatments.