Abstract
Conventional versus chemical weed control itudies were carri-ed out ors wheat crop during lag2.81 & 19431.84 on a Bandy Loam soil, Weed control treatments consisted of direct seeding (No till. age), seed-bed preparation, one 'Dab', two 'Dab', weedicide (Dieuron MAr(1 2kgtha) and hand weeding.. The conventional and chemical weed control practices suppressed weed population. Meal-mum yield 44,87 ceb.s, (two years average) was obtained where Dieuron MA was applied after emergence„ 'Dab' the oornmonly u3ed practice was the next beet choice. Tho difference between one & two 'Dabs' was not sigatficant, hems one (Dab.' appears to Fie the more suitable preraies. Hand weeding was team economical compared the use of weedicide end 'Dab'.
INTRODUOTION
The introduction of high yielding wheat varieties haring high fertilizer and irrigation requirem.enta boo reSUlltred. in tremendous increase is weed popula-tion in wheat fields. The control of weedA in cereals constitute one of the biggeet problem. in agriculture, The extent of losses caused by weeds is alarm-ing, on an average 15-20% yield reduction due to weeds bes bee.n estimated. Oa weight basis this amounts to a lose of about 1.5-2.5 million. tons per year and in monetary terms Its_ 2,1M million. per year (Ahm.ad et al. 10.82). Furthermore, biha been reported that the crop yield may be increased by about 37% by complete c4.)Litrol of weeds (Jails and Shah, 1981), Erperimenital studies have shown that weeds sonsu.ms at least as much of NPK fertilizer as the crop plant (GLiallri.19a) COP3V1311. of weals is, therefore, essential for obtain.ing higher yield and betttr queJity of the produce.
Weed control by manual or mechanical means is in practice since long but with the introduetion of labour-inteisaive-cropping system., the traditional prac-tice of controlling the weeds through mechanical practices. (hand pulling, hoeing
*Departnamt of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
