Efficacy of pyroxasulfone and its combinations against weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season of 2021–22 at the research farm of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh to study the efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides against weeds in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 3 replications and 8 weed control treatments. Major weed flora in the experimental site, viz. Medicago polymorpha (L.) (28.97%) and Cichorium intybus (L.) (26.19%) were predominant in dicot weeds and in monocot weeds, Phalaris minor (17.82%) was dominant. The weedy check plot had the higher density and dry weight of weeds. Hand weeding (once) was done at 25 DAS (day after sowing) in wheat, reducing weeds density and dry weight to the maximum extent at 40 DAS with a weed control efficiency (WCE) of 92.8%, proving superiority over other treatments. Among the herbicidal applications, pyroxasulfone + metribuzin at 127.5 + 280 g a.i./ha significantly reduced the monocot and dicot weeds density and dry weight, followed by pendimethalin + pyroxasulfone at 1250 + 127.5 g a.i./ha. Pyroxasulfone + metribuzin at 127.5 + 280 g a.i./ha resulted in maximum values of growth parameters, viz. plant height (66.38 cm), number of tillers/m2 (403.14) and yield attributing characters, viz. grains per earhead (51.00) and grain yield (5.65 t/ha) as compared to other herbicidal treatments.