J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2015: Vol.

29 (2):361-366
(361) ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

EFFICACY OF ACM - 9 (CLODINAFOP PROPARGYL + METRIBUZIN) ON WEEDS,

GROWTH AND YIELD OF WHEAT
V. Pratap Singh*, Navneet Pareek, Abnish Kumar, Kavita Satyawali, Akshita Banga, Neema Bisht and D.B.Singh
Department of Agronomy, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand-263145
[Corresponding author E-mail*: [email protected]]

Received: 14-08-2015 Accepted: 23-09-2015

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season in two consecutive years 2010-11 and 2011-12 at N. E. Borlaug Crop
Research Centre, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to test the efficacy of clodinafop propargyl and
metribuzin applied alone and in combination for the control of mixed weed flora of wheat crop. The predominant weed species
in experimental area were Phalaris minor, Polygonum plebenjium, Medicago denticulata, Melilotus indica, Chenopodium album,
Coronopus, Rumex and Cyperus rotundus. All weed control treatments significantly reduced the weed density as well as dry
accumulation of weeds resulting significant increase in yield of wheat over weedy check in both the years of experimentation.
The maximum suppression of density as well as dry matter of weeds and highest weed control efficiency were obtained with the
combination of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin applied as post emergence at higher doses (1000 and 1200 g/ha) and this was
also comparable with twice hand weeding. The density of all the weeds decreased with increasing the doses of clodinafop
propargyl+metribuzin from 500 to 1200 g/ha. However, highest grain yield of wheat was recorded with combination of clodinafop
propargyl+metribuzin applied at 1200 g/ha (4092 kg/ha) during 2010, while in 2011 the highest yield was obtained at its lower
dose applied at 1000 g/ha (4163 g/ha). Combination of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin at 1200 and 1000 g/ha increase the wheat
yield 18.2 and 97.4% during 2010 and 2011, respectively, over the weedy check.The grain yield among the combination of
clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin at various doses were found at par to each other and even its lower dose (500 g/ha) also yielded
comparable grain yield with twice hand weeding at 30 and 60 DAS.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most extensively and grain yield5-6.Wheat is infested with diverse type of weed
grown cereal crop in the world. It is Rabi crop of temperate flora, as it is grown under diverse agro climatic conditions,
zone with cool winters and hot summers being very conducive different cropping sequence. Weed communities are floristically
for its good growth. Indo-Gangetic plain is the most important diverse in irrigated wheat fields and usually comprise of both
area where wheat is grown. There are many factors which grassy and broadleaf weeds. Hence, the use of herbicide that
affect the yield of wheat. Weeds are one of the major can simultaneously tackle both types of weeds seems
constraints in wheat production as they reduce productivity obligate. The yield losses due to weeds vary depending on
due to competition, allelopathy by providing habitat for the weed species, their density and environmental factors.
pathogens as well as serving as alternate host for various Among weeds, Phalaris minor is single most dominant grassy
insects and fungi and increased harvest cost1-2. Weeds weed in the northern Indian plains causing significant yield
posses serious threat to wheat productivity and chemical losses. 15- 20 % reduction in grain yield of wheat is caused
means usually employed to combat weed menace in the field due to moderate infestation of P. minor 7. For controlling weeds
crops. The reduction in yield is mainly due to severe in wheat, growers mostly rely on herbicides application due
competition between weeds and crop plants for moisture, light, to cost and time effectiveness. The choice of broad spectrum
nutrient and space. It causes yield reduction in wheat from herbicide, proper time of application at proper dose is the
10-65%3. Physical method are laborious, tiresome and most important consideration of lucrative returns8. Combination
expensive due to increasing cost of labor, draft animals and of the grassy and broad leaf herbicides is always better than
implements and weeds cannot effectively be managed merely their alone application for weed control in wheat crop9.
due to the crop mimicry, therefore, the use of chemical weed However, sustaining food grain production to feed ever
control has become necessary4. Application of herbicides increasing population and ensuring food security, effective
decreased dry weight of weeds significantly compared to dry weed management is very essential.Therefore, bio-efficacy
weight in non-treated plots and increased yield components of some herbicides was tested to control the weeds in wheat
NAAS Rating (2016)-4.20
 EFFICACY OF ACM 9 (CLODINAFOP PROPARGYL + METRIBUZIN) ON WEEDS (362)

crop to overcome the yield loss in all species of weeds. With and air dried for 3 days. The grain yield was determined as
this thought keeping in background, the present research work kg/plot. Besides, spike (no/m2), grains/spike and 1000 grain
on bio-efficacy of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin a post weight were determined. For residual study, the original
emergence herbicide in wheat was conducted with a objective experimental lay out was kept undisturbed, and rice was sown
to assess the efficiency of this herbicide against predominant across the plots. The crop was raised as per recommended
grassy and non grassy weeds in wheat and find out the crop package and practices. Residual effect of herbicides were
safety at various doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin studied in succeeding rice crop in terms of plant population,
applied as post-emergence. panicles, number of grains/panicle, 1000 grain weight and
grain yield. Data recorded were statistically analyzed
MATERIAL AND METHODS according to Gomez and Gomez (1984). Means were
The field experiment was conducted at N.E. Borlaug Crop compared at 5% levels of significance by the least significant
Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and difference (LSD) test.
Technology, Pantnagar during Rabi of 2010-11 and 2011-12
to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of clodinafop RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
propargyl 9%+metribuzin 20% WP applied as post emergence
Weed Flora: The dominant weed flora in the experimental
in wheat crop. The research center where the experiment
plot at 30 DAA comprised of grasses; Phalaris minor, broad
was conducted is located at 290N Latitude, 27.30E Longitude
leaved weeds; Polygonum plebenjium, Medicago denticulata,
and at an Altitude of 243.8 meters above the mean sea level.
Melilotus indica, Chenopodium album, Coronopus and Rumex
The soil was loamy, medium in organic matter (0.67%),
spp. However, Cyperus rotundus was the only one species
available phosphorus (17.5 kg/ha) and potassium (181.2 kg/
among the sedge (Fig.-1). The mean composition of grasses,
ha) with pH 7.5. The experiment consisted of nine treatments
sedges and broad-leaved weeds in unweeded check plot was
and laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three
119.4, 123.4 and 2.3%, respectively during both the years.
replications. The treatments were follows as alone and in
combination at various doses of clodinafop propargyl Effect on weed density: Weed density per unit area is an
9%+metribuzin 20% WP viz., 500, 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 important and key parameter in figuring out the impact of
g/ha , another alone herbicides viz., clodinafop propargyl treatments on weed growth. The more number of the weeds
15%WP at 400 g/ha as well as metribuzin 70%WP at 300 g/ are responsible for more nutrients depletion from the soil and
ha were applied as post emergence, hand weeding twice (30 have more competition with crop plants. Moreover, the use of
and 60 DAS) and weedy plot is also included in the
experimental plan. Wheat variety “PBW 502” was sown at 23
cm spacing using 100 kg seed/ha on November 25 and
December 12 during 2010 and 2011, respectively. Herbicides
were applied using knapsack sprayer fitted with a flat fan
nozzle with the spray volume of water 300 l/ha while hand
weeding was done at 30 and 60 DAS. The other agricultural
practices used for wheat growing in the region were followed.
Weeds were recorded species wise in each plot at 30 days
after application (DAA) with the help of quadrate of 0.25m2 for
the area marked for the observations. The weeds inside each
quadrate were uprooted, cleaned and dried. After drying, weight
and weed control efficiency was calculated by using the
formula: WCE = (weed biomass in unwedded control– weed
biomass in managed treatment)/ weed biomass in unweeded Fig 1: Effect of weed control treatments on relative weed density
under weedy situation at 60 DAS
control x 100. At maturity, the wheat plants were harvested
(363) SINGH, PAREEK, KUMAR, SATYAWALI, BANGA, BISHT AND SINGH

Table-1. Effect of different doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin on density of grassy and non
grassy weeds at 30 DAA (Rabi 2010-11)

DAA: Days after herbicide application, HW: Hand Weeding clod: Clodinafop propargyl, Original Values in parentheses were original and transformed
,
to log (X+1) for analysis and transformed to log(X+1) for analysis.

Table-2. Effect of different doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin on density of grassy and non
grassy weeds at 30 DAA (Rabi 2011-12)

DAA: Days after herbicide application, HW: Hand Weeding, clod: Clodinafop propargyl, Original Values in parentheses were original and transformed to log (X+1)
,
for analysis and transformed to log(X+1) for analysis.

herbicides, though discouraged worldwide these days because towards reducing the density of weeds as compared to their
of environmental and health hazards, is inevitable due to many alone application. The better performance of combination of
reasons particularly in the terms of economics and the herbicides might be due to synergistic effect between the two
immediate effect. However, the herbicide use should be herbicides. The reduction of P. minor density upto 100% was
judicious and properly operated. The data in the experiment observed as a result of combination of clodinafop
regarding weed density m-2 of different weed flora as shown in propargyl+metribuzin at various doses viz.,1200,1000 and 800
Tables-1-2 indicated that all the herbicidal treatments g a.i /ha. No significant difference in density of broad leaved
convincingly suppressed the weeds growth over the weedy weeds viz., M.indica, Rumex and Coronopus spp., was
check. Among the different herbicides, combination of recorded with combination of propargyl+metribuzin, while at
clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin was found more effective 30 DAA alone application of metribuzin at 300 g/ha resulted
 EFFICACY OF ACM 9 (CLODINAFOP PROPARGYL + METRIBUZIN) ON WEEDS (364)

Table-3. Effect of different doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin on dry weight of weeds and
weed control efficiency at 30 DAA

DAA: Days after herbicide application, HW: Hand Weeding Original Values in parentheses were original and transformed to log (X+1) for analysis.

Table-4. Effect of different doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin on yield and yield attributes of wheat.

in significantly less population of Chenopodium album than propargyl+metribuzin can be attributed to the fact that higher
the alone application of clodinafop propargyl at 400 g/ha. Some dose of herbicide is more effective than the lower doses.
other workers also reported that alone application of metribuzin
210 g/ha provided reduction in density of broadleaf weeds. Effect on weed biomass and weed control efficiency:
Application of clodinafop propargyl + metribuzin at all the Weed biomass is a better parameter to measure the
doses resulted in lower density of C. album which may be competition than weed number as it precisely measures the
due to more control of broadleaved weeds by the application quantity of growth related factors utilized by weeds10. Data
of clodinafop propargyl and metribuzin. Combined application presented in Table-3 indicated that all the herbicides application
of clodianfop propargyl +metribuzin at different doses reduced as well as hand weeding twice significantly reduced weed
the density of M.denticulata to a varying degree even biomass of the grassy and BLWs during both the season over
approaching to 100% at higher dose. The variability in weeds the weedy check and thus ultimately enhanced weed-control
population of M.denticulata in different doses of clodianfop efficiency. Similar results were recorded by earlier workers11.
The results of two years revealed that at 30 DAA, significantly
(365) SINGH, PAREEK, KUMAR, SATYAWALI, BANGA, BISHT AND SINGH

Table-5. Effect of different doses of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin on yield and yield attributes of
rice (succeeding crop)
Treatment Dose Spikes (no./m2) Grains/spike 1000 grain weight Grain yield % increase of
(g/ha (g) (kg/ha) grain yield over
) control
2010- 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12 2010-11 2011-12
11
Clod.+metribuzin 500 362 342 45.3 43.7 42.7 42.0 4015 3999 15.9 89.6
Clod.+metribuzin 600 365 348 47.3 43.8 42.8 41.9 4052 4040 17.0 91.6
Clod.+metribuzin 800 371 351 45.1 44.0 42.8 42.1 4056 4122 17.1 95.4
Clod.+metribuzin 1000 382 365 44.2 44.3 42.2 42.1 4074 4163 17.6 97.4
Clod.+metribuzin 1200 383 332 43.7 43.5 42.0 41.5 4092 3976 18.2 88.5
Clodinafop 400 326 302 44.6 41.9 42.3 40.4 3733 3354 7.8 59.0
propargyl
Metribuzin 300 260 293 42.3 40.3 41.7 40.1 3611 3361 4.3 59.4
HW 30&60 349 320 39.2 42.1 42.4 41.0 4022 3960 16.1 87.8
DAS
Weedy - 240 254 30.5 37.4 39.9 39.9 3463 2109 - -
LSD (P=0.05) - 43.7 43.7 5.6 2.9 NS 1.6 134 228 - -

lowest weed biomass was obtained with the combined Increasing the number of grains spike-1 will increase the weight
application of clodinafop propargyl +metribuzin at 1000 g/ha, of the spike which in turn definitely improves the ultimate
and also at par with all the combination of clodinafop yield. All the weed control treatments significantly boosted
propargyl+metribuzin during 2011-12 which further found the number of grains spike-1. Among the herbicidal application,
significantly superior to alone application of clodinafop combination of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin at 1000 g/ha
propargyl and metribuzin. Other workers also recorded lowest treated plots resulted in the highest number of grains /spike
weed biomass under combined application of clodianfop followed by its higher dose applied at 1200 g/ha. The
propargyl +metribuzin than alone application of clodinafop combination of clodinafop propargyl and metribuzin was
propargyl and metribuzin12. Both of these herbicides when outstanding resulting in higher number of grains/spike as
applied in combination, the effect on weeds are more lethal compared to its alone application and twice hand weeding.
than their application as alone. In terms of weed control Application of different herbicides during both the experiments
efficiency, there was significant enhancement in weed control showed higher grains/spike and 1000 grains weight over the
efficiency with the application of clodinafop propargyl weedy check. Differences among all the doses of clodinafop
+metribuzin at 1200g/ha followed by its lower dose applied at propargyl+metribuzin in grains/spike and 1000 grain weight
1000 g/ha, both of which were superior to rest of the treatments. were found to be non significant. Grain yield is the principal
Herbicides differed in respect to their efficacy and clodinafop and primary parameter for assessment of any weed control
propargyl+metribuzin at 1200 g/ha emerged as promising one treatments applied in experimentations. Increase in grain yield
in averting dry matter accumulation of weeds resulting highest in wheat crop is the mostly required and intended parameter
weed control efficiency in this treatment during both the of all agricultural experiments in India. The data on grain yield
experiments. The weed control efficiency under clodinafop revealed that the herbicidal treatments had a convincing effect
propargyl was lesser than that of combination of herbicide on the grain yield of wheat crop. Among the herbicidal
during both the years. application, combination of clodinafop propargyl+metribuzin
at higher dose (1200 g/ha) performed the best by giving the
Effect on yield and yield attributes: Among the yield highest grain yield of 4092 kg/ha and increased (18.2%) higher
components number of grains spike-1 is vital parameter for than the lower dose (1000 g/ha) over weedy check during
assessment of the impact of weed control treatments on yield. 2010-11 while in 2011-12 it was recorded with same herbicide
 EFFICACY OF ACM 9 (CLODINAFOP PROPARGYL + METRIBUZIN) ON WEEDS (366)

combination applied at 1000 g/ha which yielded 4163 kg/ha recorded higher grain yield than its lower doses. It may also
and is increasing the 97.4 % higher over the weedy check. concluded that the succeding crop rice was found without
Number of spikes, grain/spike and 1000 grain weight in any phytotoxicity under the treatment clodinafop
combined application of clodinafop+metribuzin were found to propargyl+metribuzin, where crops matured earlier that the
be at par with each other and with the grain yield. All the control plot.
combination of clodianfop+metribuzin was found statistically
superior than the alone application of these herbicides.
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