CHEMCIAL CONTROL OF GRASSY WEEDS IN WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Wheat is the most widely grown cereal grain crop and staple food of people in the world. Among many other factors of low yield in wheat, one of the most serious but less addressed causes is the presence of weeds. Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, light, space, moisture and cause reduction in wheat vigor, tillering, head size, kernel weight. Weeds lower the market value of the produce and hence bring economic losses to the growers. Chemical weed control is preferred over other weed control methods like manual weeding, mechanical weeding, intercropping, crop rotation and stale seed bed technique because it is quick, more effective and relatively cheaper. Grassy (narrow leaved) weeds like Phalaris minor, Avena fatua, Hordeum vulgare and Cyperus rotandus are the serious problem in wheat.This book describes identification of different grassy weeds present in wheat fields and most economical herbicides for controlling these weeds,especially against P. minor.