Influence of pinoxaden in combination with other herbicides on nutrient depletion by weeds in wheat

Among different production factors, weeds pose serious threat to the productivity of wheat. They compete with crop plants for light, water and nutrients. Isoproturon is nationwide recommended herbicide in wheat. However, continuous reliance on isoproturon resulted in a heavy build-up of Phalaris minor (Malik and Singh 1995). Clodinafop was recommended as alternate herbicide against isoproturon resistant Phalaris minor in 1998–99. But cross resistance of these herbicides (Dhawan et al. 2009) necessitating the search for new herbicide molecules. Pinoxaden is new herbicide belonging to phenyl pyrazolin group with acetyl-COA- carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting action (Hoffer et al. 2006). It is a selective grass killer with foliar action. Since grass killers don't control the broadleaved weeds, the present study was conducted to evaluate pinoxaden in combination with broad-leaf herbicides such as metsulfuron-methyl, carfentrazone and 2,4-D to reduce nutrient depletion by weeds and increase by wheat under mid hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh.