Influence of fertilizer levels and wild oat (Avena ludoviciana) management on growth, yield and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivation

The present study was carried out at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the winter (rabi) season of 2015–16 and 2016–17, to investigate influence of fertilizer levels and different treatments of wild oat (Avena ludoviciana Durieu.) management on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). There were 24 treatments and 3 replications with fertilizer (Levels-03) and wild oat (management -08) treatments as main and subplot treatments in split-plot design. Results of the 2 year study showed, higher grain yield (44.7 q/ha), straw yield (66.7 q/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.80) in recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) when compared 120% RDF (40.22 q/ha, 61.24 q/ha and 1.58 respectively). Weed-free (55.3 q/ha, 79.1 q/ha and 2.03) and pinoxaden @ 50 g/ha (54.8 q/ha, 78.6 q/ha and 2.18) being at par with each other resulted in higher grain and straw yields, whereas weedy check exhibited the least values. Clodinafop @ 60 g/ha recorded significantly higher grain, straw yield and benefit: cost (B:C) ratio than with sulfosulfuron @ 25 g/ha though it was significantly lower than the pinoxaden @ 50g/ha. Pendimethalin @ 1.5 kg/ha and metribuzin @ 175 g/ha ensued statistically similar grain, straw yield and B : C ratio, followed by weedy check. The results also indicated that, fertilizers given in larger dosages only served to increase the weed population rather than wheat output. In the higher dosage of fertilizer, weeds becomes resistant to normal dosage of herbicides. Recommended dose of fertilizer along with suitable herbicide application or manual weeding could result in higher yield of wheat.