Indian Journal of Weed Science

UGC CARE (Group 1)
  • Year: 2006
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue: 3&4

Current Status of Weed Resistance to Herbicides in Rice-Wheat Cropping System in Haryana and its Management

  • Author:
  • Ashok Yadav, R. K. Malik, Gurjeet Gill1, Sher Singh, B. S. Chauhan2, R. R. Bellinder3
  • Total Page Count: 13
  • DOI:
  • Page Number: 194 to 206

Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India.

1 Adelaide University, Roseworthy, Australia.

Abstract

Rice-wheat (R-W) is the most important cropping system in India. Modern technology embedded with dwarf varieties, assured irrigation facilities and improved input supply contributed to an impressive increase in the productivity of this cropping system particularly in North-West India. However, evolution ofresistance in Phalaris minor against isoproturon (Malik and Singh, 1995) aggravated the situation. The resistance affected area ranged between 0.8 and 1.0 million hectares in N-W India mostly contained in the states of Punjab (0.3 m ha) and Haryana (0.5–0.6 m ha) (Franke, 2002). Due to large-scale failure, recommendation of isoproturon was withdrawn and it was replaced with three alternate herbicides (clodinafop, fenoxaprop and sulfosulfuron) in 1997–98. These alternate herbicides brought the P minor infestation under control and restored wheat yield to its previous levels. But, use of alternate herbicides is not a sure one-way bet. Due to possibilities of resistance, if these herbicides not used properly, a gulf exists between risks and benefits. Yadav et al. (2002a, 2005) have already reported red signals of resistance against these alternate herbicides in few biotypes of P minor. Diagnostic survey conducted across eight districts involving 419 farmers in R-W belt of Haryana indicated that large number of farmers (8% in case of sulfosulfuron and 36% in case of clodinafop) used lower than the recommanded dose of herbicides and lower spray volumes and most fanners applied these herbicides using knapsack sprayer fitted with a single flood jetlcut or hollow cone nozzle instead of flat fan nozzle. Only 18% farmers sprayed these herbicides at 30–35 days after sowing (DAS) of whcat and rest 36 and 46% applied them at 35–40 and 40–50 DAS, respectivly. Around 45% farmers either did not know about herbicide rotation or they did not follow it. The use of fenoxaprop has already declined considerably and the level of satisfaction regarding performance of sulfosulfuron and clodinafop is also decreasing year after year. A majority of the growers (79%) blame herbicides available with different brand names in the state for poor quality and thereby poor efficacy. However, faulty spray and wheat seed contamination with Phalaris seeds are other serious problems. There are many brands not recommended by the concerned state university, are available in the market. Growers are unaware about the many of products they are using. Reduction in prices of many brands is being used as sole weapon to enhance sale of different products by various market forces. Looking into the present scenario, it seems that in near future, the problem of herbicide resistance in this weed may again pose a serious threat to the sustainability of wheat productivity. lmmediate steps are required to tackle this problem by in:egrating all possible resistance management option (Malik et al., 1998, 2002; Yadav and Malik, 2005).