Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and Yield Components as Influenced by Herbicide Application in Kaffa Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

In order to identify the effect of herbicidal weed control practices on yield components and yield of wheat, the study was conducted at Kocha kebele in Chena district of Kaffa zone, Southwestern Ethiopia. 2,4-D amine salt (0.5 kg ha−1, 1 kg ha−1, and 1.5 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% (0.5 kg ha−1, 0.75 kg ha−1, and 1 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, pyroxsulam (0.4 kg ha−1, 0.5 kg ha−1, and 0.6 kg ha−1) supplemented with one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, 2,4-D amine salt at 1 kg ha−1, clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 0.75 kg ha−1, pyroxsulam at 0.5 kg ha−1, two hand weeding 30 and 45 days after crop emergence, weed-free check, and weedy check (unweeded) were the weed control treatments. Fifteen treatments were used for the trial and arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments had a significant effect on weed community, dry matter of weeds, parameters on weed control, phenology and growth parameters, and yield components and yield of wheat. The minimum total weed dry biomass was recorded in plots treated with clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding at crop harvest. The highest weed control efficiency (93.30%) and herbicide efficiency index (27.06%) and the lowest weed index (14.18%) were recorded with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding. Higher number of grains per spike (57.9), 1000-grain weight (39.4 g ha−1), grain yield (3635.6 kg ha−1), biological yield (9004 kgha−1), and harvest index (40.23%) were recorded with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding 30 days after chemical application, next to weed-free check. Managing weeds with the application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at 1 kg ha−1 + one hand weeding contributed maximum (50,745.2 ETB) net benefit. The application of clodinafop-propargyl 6% + fluroxypyr 12% at1.0 kg ha−1 plus one hand weeding can be recommended to acquire high grain yield of wheat and high economic return in the study site.