Growth, Yield and Economics of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as Influenced by Different Seed Rates and Weed Control Methods

An experiment was conducted at Shradhay Bhagwati Singh Agriculture Research Farm (Hajipur), Chandra Bhanu Gupta krishi Snatakottar Mahavidyalaya, B.K.T., Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) during the rabi season of 2021-22. The experiment consisted of 12 treatment combinations comprised of 3 seed rates and 4 weed management practices, tested in factorial randomize block design with three replications. The results indicated that different seed rates and weed management practices significantly influenced the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat. The soil of experimental site was silty loam soils having medium organic carbon (0.70%) and nitrogen (270 kg ha-1), phosphorus (27 kg ha-1) and potassium (262 kg ha-1). Crop sown with seed rate, S3 (120 kg ha-1) recorded highest plant height, number of tillers m-2, leaf area index, dry matter accumulation, number of effective tillers, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and nutrient uptake. However, higher number of grains spike-1, grain weight spike-1, length of spike and test weight was recorded with crop sown with 100 kg ha-1 seed rate. Weed free upto 60 DAS (W1) resulted in significantly higher growth and yield attributes and yields over rest of the weed control treatment. Post emergence spray of Clodinafop + Metsulfuron (60 + 4) g ha-1 recorded significantly higher values of all growth, yield attributes and yield over sulfosulfuron @ 25g a.i ha-1. Weed free upto 60 DAS had highest weed control efficiency followed by Clodinafop + Metsulfuron 60 + 4 g ha-1 (49.78%). However, the highest weed index was noticed in weedy check and lowest with herbicide mixture. The highest net returns (Rs. 69036) and B:C (1.73) were obtained with combination of 120 kg seed rate ha-1 + Clodinafop+ Metsulfuron @ 60g ha-1 +4g ha-1 (PoE) at 30-35 DAS.