Abstract

Wasim Asif Bhutto, Mehdi A. Javed, Asif Malala Pervez and Ali Z. Shahid

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of post-emergence application of herbicides on weeds reduction and yield parameters in wheat crop. Treatments comprised of post-emergence application of pyroxasulfone, clodinafop propargyl and pendimethalin alone and in various combinations and also non - treated group of wheat plot was considered as control (weedy check). Results revealed that the diversity of PHALARIS MINOR (P. MINOR), AVENA FATUA (A. FATUA) and CONVOLVULUS ARVENSIS (C. ARVENSIS) decreased ominously by all the herbicides compared to non-treated control. However, clodinafop propargyl at 60 g a.i ha-1 was found to be most effective as it severely reduced the weeds population as well as biomass with maximum mortality. Pyroxasulfone alone or with different combinations showed poor response as compared to weedy check. Maximum spike bearing tillers (354.50), number of grains spike -1 (59.50), 1000-grain weight (58.50 g), straw yield (6.52 t ha-1 ) and grain yield (4.73 t ha-1 ) were recorded in response of clodinafop propargyl at 60 g a.i ha-1 versus other herbicides. Consequently, clodinafop propargyl proved itself a potential herbicide for weed control and better yield in wheat crop.