Perception Analysis of Herbicide use Pattern in Wheat (Triticum aesivum L.) in South-western and Sub-mountainous Punjab, North-Western India

Phalaris minor Retz. has been the most devastating weed which is severely affecting the productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in north-western India. Nonetheless, the herbicide resistance against P. minor has become major sustainability issues of world’s largest rice-wheat (R-W) system. Therefore, the present study assessed the herbicide use pattern in wheat during rabi-2022/23 in two contrasting agro-eco sub regions viz. south-western Punjab in Bathinda and sub-mountainous Punjab in Rupnagar districts. Data were collected from 250 respondents (150 from Bathinda and 100 from Rupnagar) in semi-structured interview schedules during field surveys. These results revealed that majority of farmers (66.5% of total) preferred post-emergence weed control by the use of clodinafop and sulfosulfuron herbicides, while a small proportion preferred pre-emergence weed control measures. The choice of herbicide used against P. minor was mostly influenced by their cost, residual effect, application window, safe use on crops, and the cropping system, as well as the existing seed bank and extent of herbicide resistance developed against P. minor. Farmers perceived clodinafop as the cheapest herbicide, and did not exert any residual toxicity. Additionally, clodinafop has wider application window. Survey results revealed that ~54.7 per cent and 46.0 per cent farmers in Bathinda and Rupnagar districts, respectively applied two sprays of herbicides to achieve desired control on P. minor infestation. Besides, majority of the farmers (44.0 and 51.0%, respectively in Bathinda and Rupnagar districts) were using higher dose of herbicide (>1 to 2 x-dose).