ASSESSMENT OF WEED PROBLEMS IN WHEAT CROP OF PESHAWAR PAKISTAN

Diagnostic study is an essential factor for organizing a suitable weed management package for a specific area. The selection of a paramount weed management strategy is based on the knowledge of the existing weed flora in the crop fields, consequently helping make the right decision at the right time. In this connection, surveys were conducted in the mid and late seasons of wheat crop during 2008-09, in district Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. A questionnaire was utilized to interview the farming community; however, personal observations were also a part of the surveys to practically confirm the farmers’ indigenous knowledge. A sum of 100 farmers from 5 villages (20 farmers from each village) was randomly interviewed. In this way, a total of 31 major weeds were reported in wheat crop in Peshawar region which included Avena fatua, Anagallis arvensis, Carthamus oxyacantha, Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis, Euphorbia helioscopia, Medicago denticulata, Melilotus indica, Phalaris minor, Silybum marianum, Rumex crispus, Ammi visnaga, Fumaria indica, and Lathyrus aphaca etc. Farmers had diverse judgments on problems to wheat production in their respective fields. According to farmers’ insight, 91% of them reported yield reduction in wheat due to the major weeds in range of 20-50%, though 9% of them stated less than 20% yield losses. Moreover, 65% of the farmers reported weeds as an imported constraint in wheat production; whereas the percentages of other constraints viz; lack of irrigation water, fake/ineffective agrochemicals, lack of quality seeds, and environmental severe-ness were 23, 51, 32, 20 and 25%, respectively. To cope with the weed menace almost 42% farmers reported mechanical weed control method, 70% farmers reported chemical weed control method (using Puma super, Topik, Isoproturon, Affinity, and Buctril super herbicides). In asking for the weed infestation during the last decade, 43% of the farmers stated increase in weed infestation, 28% reported decrease and 60% described that weed infestation has remained the same in the last decade. For grain yield of wheat, 55% of the farmers reported yield in the range of 2001-2500 kg ha^-1, 21% reported between 1501-2000 kg ha^-1, and 10% farmers stated from 2501 to 3000 kg ha^-1. Finally it could be decided that weeds are a big menace in wheat as per farmers’ perception, which need to be tackled on scientific grounds.