EFFICACY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF DIFFERENT ALLELOPATHIC PLANTS COMBINED WITH REDUCED HERBICIDE DOSES FOR WEED CONTROL IN WHEAT

Abstract

Allelopathic crop water extracts with reduced herbicide doses were tested for weed control in wheat at Adaptive Research Farm, Sheikhupura, Pakistan during the year 2010-11. Aqueous extracts of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and mulberry (Morus alba L.) were combined (each at 18 l/ha) with Atlantis 3.6 WG (mesosulfuron + idosulfuron) @ 14.4 (recommended), 7.20 and 4.80g a.s/ha alongwith weedy check. Dried and chopped parts of sorghum and sunflower mature plants and dry leaves of mulberry were soaked in water, boiled and filtered and then these extracts were mixed as per treatments and applied at 50 days after sowing. The results revealed that application of extracts of sunflower+sorghum+mulberry mixed with Atlantis 3.6 WG @ 7.20 g a.s/ha exhibited higher weed reduction in total weed density (86%) and total weed dry weight (88%). The same treatment also produced maximum grain yield (2.90 t/ha), which was 36 percent higher than control (2.13 t/ha) and 3.94 percent higher than recommended dose of herbicide (2.79 t/ha). The data further showed superiority of this treatment for higher net return of Rs. 71322 per hectare and 4221 percent marginal rate of return.