Prospects of wheat as a dual purpose crop and its impact on weeds

Arif, M. . Dept. of Agronomy; Khan, M.A. . Dept. of Weed Science; Akbar, H. . Dept. of Agronomy; Sajjad . Dept. of Agronomy; Ali, S. . Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics

Prospects of wheat as a dual purpose crop and its impact on weeds

2006

Arif, M. (NWFP Agricultural Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Agronomy) | Khan, M.A. (NWFP Agricultural Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Weed Science) | Akbar, H. (NWFP Agricultural Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Agronomy) | Sajjad (NWFP Agricultural Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Agronomy) | Ali, S. (NWFP Agricultural Univ., Peshawar (Pakistan). Dept. of Plant Breeding and Genetics)

Improvement in livestock production depends on the quality and quantity of feed. The objective of this study was to look into the potential use of wheat as a dual-purpose crop and its impact on weeds. The experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm, NWFP Agricultural red survey of Nova Scotia University Peshawar during rabi 2005-06. Randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Wheat variety Fakhre-Sarhad was sown with the help of a seed drill at seed rate 100kg ha- 1. A plot size of 5 x 1.8m with row to row distance 22 cm was used. A cut was given to half of the plots as per treatment arrangement about 60 days after sowing. At the time of cut, the crop was at jointing stage and was ready to be used as fodder. Perusal of the data indicated that non-cut plots produced significantly more spikes, grains spike-1, grain weight, grain yield and biological yield. Similarly no cut wheat suppressed weeds while in cut plots weed density was greater due to open habitat for weeds to germinate and flourish. However economic analysis indicated that income of the cut plots was a par with the income of the non-cut plots. It is concluded that wheat can be used as a dual-purpose crop to provide sufficient feed to the starving livestock in Pakistan however weeds problem need to be addressed to avoid the weed seed deposition in the soil.

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