Journal of Environmental Biology

Integration of high seeding densities and criss cross row planting pattern suppresses weeds and increases grain yield of spring wheat

I. Hussain1, E.A. Khan¹, G. Hassan²,*, J. Gul³, M. Ozturk⁴, H. Alharby⁵, K.R. Hakeem⁵ and S. Alamri⁶

¹Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, 29050, Pakistan

²Department of Agriculture, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal Dir Upper, 18050, Pakistan?

³Department of Biotechnology? Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal Dir Upper, 18050, Pakistan

⁴Botany Department and Center for Environmental Studies, Ege University, 35100, Izmir, Turkey

⁵Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

⁶Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 2455, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding Author E-mail: hassanpk.2000pk@yahoo.com

Key words

Criss cross,

Integrated weed management,

Smothering effect,

Yield components

Publication Data

Paper received : 15.11.2016???

Revised received : 22.06.2017?????????????????????

Accepted : 27.06.2017

Abstract

Aim: Eco-friendly and sustainable weed management tactics are advocated by weed managers worldwide. In order to develop such a technology, an experiment was undertaken at Agronomic Research Area of the Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan during rabi season.

Methodology: A 2-factor experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement with the planting patterns (line and criss cross sowings) assigned to main plots and seed rates (50, 100, 150, 200 kg ha^-1) of wheat kept into sub plots.??

Results: Weed density and biomass at harvest were 28 and 33%, lesser in a criss cross as compared to line sowing. Weed suppression was inversely and grain yield was directly proportional to seeding rates. The highest grain yield (6.9 t ha^-1) was obtained from the interaction of 200 kg ha^-1 seed rate under criss cross planting.

Interpretation: Regardless of planting pattern, 37% higher grain yield was harvested at the highest rate (200 kg ha^-1) as compared to the lowest (50 kg ha^-1) seed rate. Thus, integration of denser crop and uniform stand via criss cross pattern planting in small grains can reduce the pollution of herbicides and energy cost on weed management.

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