IMPACT OF MEGAFOL (BIO-STIMULATOR) IN COMBINATION WITH HERBICIDES TO OVERCOME THE HERBICIDAL STRESS ON WHEAT

Field experiments were conducted at the farm of Chaudhary Khair Din Sons at Mandiala Warriach, Gujranwala Pakistan, for three years 2010-11 to 2012-13. The experiments were designed in RCBD with three replications having 5x50 m plot size. The efficacy and economics of four herbicides namely Atlantis 3.6% WG (mesosulfuron-methyl + ideosulfuron-methyl sodium), Sencor 70WP (metribuzin), Affinity 50WP (isoproturon + carfentrazone-ethyl) and Pallas 45OD (pyroxsulam) alone and in combination with Megafol (bio-stimulator) were tested for reducing herbicide phytotoxicity against wheat. All the herbicides alone and in combination with Megafol provided good control of narrow and broad leaved weeds. Highest mortality of narrow leaved weeds (98.58 and 98.16%) and broad leaved weeds (98.17 and 95.77%) was obtained when Atlantis and Pallas were mixed with Megafol, respectively. All tested herbicides mixed with Megafol produced taller plants of wheat resulting in overcoming the herbicide induced oxidative stress in wheat. Similarly, number of tillers m^-2, grains spike^-1 and 1000-grain weight were significantly higher when herbicides were mixed with Megafol as compared to their alone application. Yield was also significantly increased by the addition of Megafol in herbicides as a result of better recovery from stress caused by herbicide phytotoxicity. Therefore, higher grain yield was obtained from the plots treated with Atlantis + Megafol (4.99 t ha^-1), Pallas + Megafol (4.86 t ha^-1), and Affinity + Megafol (4.65 t ha^-1) with higher net return (Rs. 44812, 40600 and 34925 ha^-1), respectively. While Sencor alone provided minimum net return (Rs. 17225 ha^-1) as compared to other herbicides.