Email:
visharadkundra@gmail.com
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School of Organic Farming, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, Punjab, India
Allelopathy, Cultural management, Organic wheat, Plant extract, Weed management
Weed management is a major constraint in organic wheat production systems and integration of non-herbicidal weed management practices is the only available option. The present study was conducted at two locations during 2019-20 to evaluate the efficiency of allelopathic water extracts coupled with cultural practices in managing the weeds in organic wheat. The treatments consisted of two wheat varieties (tall and dwarf) and seven weed management treatments. The taller wheat variety PBW 677 had significantly lower weed biomass (21.4 to 28.2%) at harvest and higher grain yield (7.4 to 15.4%) than the dwarf variety Unnat PBW 550 and recorded better net returns and B:C at both the locations. Among the weed management treatments, hand weeding twice recorded maximum reduction in weed density (44.6 to 46.2%), and weed dry biomass (44.6% to 58.2%) at 75 days after sowing (DAS). The next best treatment in reducing weed density (38.9 to 45.3%) and dry biomass (41.1 to 46.5%) was line sowing of pre-germinated wheat seeds + wheel hoeing. This was followed by line sowing of pre-germinated wheat seeds + plant extract spray. The corresponding increases in wheat grain yields with above mentioned treatments at location I and II, compared to weedy check, were 69.6 and 66%; 42.7 and 51.8%, and 17.7 and 30.7%, respectively. Under labour constrained situations, line sowing of pre-germinated wheat seeds followed by wheel hoeing or application of mixed plant extract of sorghum, sunflower and raya at 18 L/ha each at 25 and 50 DAS of wheat can provide effective weed management, higher grain yield and better economic returns in organic wheat production.