Influence of residue and weed management practices on no-till wheat (Triticum aestvium L.) under rice-wheat cropping system

A field experiment was conducted during 2005–2006 and 2006–07 at Varanasi to evaluate the effect of rice residue (R¹-residue removal, R²-residue retention, R³-residue retention with Trichoderma application and weed management practices (W_1--Control, W₂-Hand weeding at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS), W₃-Isoproturon +2, 4-D (1.0+0.5 kg ha⁻¹) at 30 DAS, W₄-Fenoxaprop 120 g ha⁻¹ fb Metsulfuron 4 g ha⁻¹ on growth, yield attributes and yield of wheat (Triticum aestvium L.). The rice residue retention with Trichoderma application produced significantly higher crop growth, yield attributes, grain (3321 and 3617 kg ha⁻¹) and straw yield as compared to residue retention alone (3264 and 3681 kg ha⁻¹) and residue removal (3069 and 3386 kg ha⁻¹). Among the weed management options, application of fenoxaprop fb metsulfuron (120 + 4 g ha⁻¹) gave significantly higher weed control efficiency (WCE) (74.19 and 75.07%) and grain (3355 and 3722 kg ha⁻¹) and straw yields compared to isoproturon +2, 4-D (1.0+0.5 kg ha⁻¹). Residue retention with Trichoderma application also registered the highest nitrogen uptake by wheat.