Assessment of weed management practices of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different treatments and its economic feasibility in the Eastern U.P.

Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crops of the worlds and has great effect on the economic stability of the developing countries like India. It is a reliable food source for over one billion people in 43 nations across the world (Kumar et al., 2021) [9] . It supplies around 20%of a human's total calorie intake. It is primarily grown in temperate region and also at higher altitude under tropical climate areas in winter season. On a global scale, India is the second largest producer of wheat, accounting for approximately 12%of global wheat production. It is also the second largest consumer of wheat after China, with a rapidly growing demand. Wheat occupied an area of 224.49million hectare, with a total production of 792.40 million tones and productivity of 3.52 ton/ha in world. In India, it is grown by 31.61 million hectare (13.43% global area) with a production of 109.52 million tons (1.3% rise from previous year) and productivity of about 3464 Kg/ha. The prominent weeds noted in wheat field are Phalaris minor, Chenopodium Toalbum, Anagallis arvensis, Avena fatua, Convolvulus arvensis, Cyperus rotundus, and Cynodon dactylon, etc. Which alone cause 33percent reduction in wheat yield. Rice-wheat is one of the most important cropping -system in eastern up. The magnitude of weed induced losses in agriculture systems in influenced by several factors, including weed species, density, duration of infestation, crop competition, and prevailing climatic conditions. To effectively manage a diverse and intricate array of wees, it is often necessary to utilize different weed management practices. This practices not only enhances the overall efficacy of weed management against particularly challenging weed species, but also serves to mitigate the development and onset of herbicide resistance, as evidenced by previous research (Singh et al., 2011) [8] . Recent findings have demonstrated that both broad-leaved and grassy weeds process the potential to drastically wheat grain production by as much as 40-52.2% and 55.7-57%, respectively. Another study conducted by Sharma et al., (2011) [8] reported a significant reduction of 47.5% in wheat grain yield in the weedy check as compared to other treatments. The heavy infestation with complex weed flora in wheat has become serious threat in increasing the yield and productivity. Thus a suitable combination of new herbicides like sulfosulfuron, metsulfuron, fenoxaprop, clodinafop and metribuzin, reported to be very effective against associated weed species in wheat crop (Verma et al., 2017) [12] , is required for effective broad-spectrum control of weeds (Pal et al., (2016) [15] as continuously rely on single herbicide to a longer period not only results herbicidal resistant but also creates weed shifts. In addition to herbicides combinations, cultural practices, being economical and eco-friendly (Sharma and Singh 2011) [8] , also play a significant role in weed suppression particularly during the initial stages of crop establishment. As such combinations are typically more effective in terms of controlling composite weed populations and serve to delay the emergence of herbicide resistance.

Therefore, for sustaining food-grain production to feed ever increasing population, ensuring food security, and effective weed management is very essential. The management practices chosen for the study were based on their readily availability at affordable costs and also on weed species infesting the farmer's wheat fields. The current investigation was caried out with the objective of identifying the most appropriate weed management practices to achieve optimum broad-leaved weed suppression in wheat, while simultaneously evaluating the economic feasibility of various treatments in relation to wheat productivity in the region.

Materials and Methods

The present field experiments conducted entitled "Effect of weed management practices on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)'' was caried out the rabi season of 2021-22. The field was well levelled having good soil condition. Geographically, falls in subtropical climate and is situated at 24°47´. North latitude, 82°12´. East longitudes with an altitude of 84 meters above mean sea level. The experimental site is situated at main campus of College on Azamgarh to Ghazipur road at a distance of 08 km from Azamgarh district head-quarter. The details of materials are used and techniques adopted during the experiments described as; - The treatments were laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) being treatments (12) with three replications and the basic principles of randomization were followed.

Observation recorded

Biological yield (q/ha) After harvesting the crop, produce was sun dried for one week and then weight of total produce which was harvested from net plot area of each plot was recorded and converted into q/ha.

After taking the weight of total biomass, produce of each net plot was threshed separated and clean grains were sun dried to maintain 12% moisture. The grain yield was recorded in kg plot-1 and finally the values were converted into q/ha.

Weight of total produce per net plot was recorded before threshing. The straw yield was calculated by subtracting the grain yield from the weight of total produce of net plot and expressed in quintal per hectare.

Harvest index is the ratio between the economic yield and biological yield and calculated by formula as given by Donald (1962) [16] . It measures the partitioning of photosynthates towards grains, expressed in percentage and calculate by the formula:

Harvest index  Economic yieldx100/Biological yield

Economic Analysis

Cost of Cultivation (Rs./ha) Cost of cultivation of wheat crop was calculated including treatment cost on the basis of local market price of different inputs used in cultivation.

The monetary value of grain and straw yield was computed in rupees using support price of outputs. Gross return was obtained by adding monetary values of grains and straw. Material and Methods Gross Return (Rs./ha) = Grain yield (q/ha) × price ((Rs./ha) + Straw yield (q/ha) × price ((Rs./ha)

Net returns (Rs./ha) CD = Critical difference Net return for each treatment combination was calculated by deducting the cost of cultivation from the respective grass return. Net Return (Rs./ha) = Gross return -Cost of cultivation

Conclusions

In conclusion, the cultivation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) holds immense significance for the economic stability of developing countries like India, serving as a vital food source for over one billion people in 43 nations worldwide. With India ranking as the second largest producer and consumer of wheat globally, maintaining high productivity is essential. However, the challenges posed by weed infestation and varying climatic conditions have a substantial impact on wheat yield and overall agricultural sustainability. The comprehensive study conducted highlighted the significant influence of weed management practices on the various yield components of wheat. The findings revealed that weed-free plots and specific postemergence herbicidal treatments, such as Clodinafop + Metsulfuron and Sulfosulfuron + Metsulfuron, exhibited promising results in terms of economic feasibility and net returns. Notably, these treatments demonstrated enhanced grain yield, straw yield, and biological yield, emphasizing their potential for optimizing wheat productivity and economic viability. The outcomes of this study align with previous research and underscore the critical importance of prioritizing sustainable weed control strategies to ensure food security and sustain food-grain production for the everincreasing global population. By emphasizing the effectiveness of specific herbicidal treatments and sustainable weed management practices, this research contributes valuable insights for enhancing agricultural productivity and addressing the challenges associated with weed infestation in wheat cultivation.

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