AGRO ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF VARIOUS WEEDING TECHNIQUES IN WHEAT UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS

Significant effects of row spacing and weeding techniques in different combinations on wheat cultivar “GA-2002” were obtained in a field trial conducted at Experimental Farms of University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi during Rabi 2004-05, laid out in a randomized complete block design with two factors under split plot arrangement having three replications. The row spacings were comprised of 15 cm, 22.5 cm and 30 cm apart and there were six weeding techniques viz. weedy check, hand weeding, chemical control, bar harrow 2–way, hoe and bar harrow 1-way. Hand weeding and chemical control with different spacing combinations showed significant effects on weed density, weed mortality percentage, plant height, tillersm-2, spike length, 1000 grain weight, biological and grain yield of wheat. The 15 cm spacing arrangement significantly enhanced grain yield. The interaction of weeding techniques and row spacing was significant for grain yield. The highest wheat crop yields of 5448 and 5970 kg ha-1 were achieved by using hand weeding and chemical weed control along with 15 cm row spacing that caused significant increase over weedy check with 30 cm spacing by 133.93% and 113.47%, respectively. The highest net benefit was attained in chemical application to control weeds which was 25,605 PKR and the same highest was observed in chemical control in benefit cost ratio analysis which was 1.79.