Determining the Effect of Weed Management Practices on Yield and Economics of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional cum Research Farm, IGKV, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, India, to evaluate the effect of different weed management practices on yield and economic returns of wheat during the Rabi season of 2020-21. The experiment, laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications, included five treatments: hand hoeing at 30 days after sowing (DAS) (T1), metribuzin application @ 175 g a.i. ha-1 at 20 DAS (T2), one hand weeding at 20 DAS (T3), two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS (T4), and an absolute control (T5). Results revealed that two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS registered highest grain yield (21.38 q ha⁻¹) and straw yield (45.63 q ha-¹), followed by metribuzin application (grain yield of 18.60 q ha⁻¹ and straw yield of 43.26 q ha-¹). Economic analysis revealed that two hand weeding yielded highest gross returns (73,624 ₹ ha-1) and net returns (53,492 ₹ ha-1) but incurred a higher cost of cultivation (20,132 ₹ ha-1) due to increased labor requirements. Metribuzin, though slightly less effective in terms of yield, provided a cost-effective alternative with a lower cost of cultivation (14,004 ₹ ha⁻¹), high net return (49,794 ₹ ha⁻¹) and higher B:C ratio (3.56) making it suitable for situations with labor scarcity. In conclusion, two hand weedings maximize yield and returns in labor-available areas, while metribuzin offers practically cost-effective alternative when labours are scarce.