Effectiveness of various chemical and non-chemical weed management practices as perceived by the farmers under cotton wheat cropping system in the Punjab

Present study was conducted at Institute of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan in 2018 in order to explore the effectiveness of different chemical and non-chemical weed management practices adopted by the farmers under cotton-wheat cropping system. Weeds are unwanted plants that compete with the crops grown and responsible for severe losses in crop production. Weed infestation is one of the major among various factors that result in reducing crop production and responsible for economic losses to the farming community. Multistage random sampling technique was used for the selection of sample of 130 respondents. The data were collected through a reliable and validated interview schedule. And were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used for data analysis. Results indicate that among non-chemical weed management practices under cotton-wheat cropping system, using clean and quality seed, proper tillage operations, crop rotation, hand hoeing and ploughing were ranked most effective with a mean value of 4.07, 4.09, 3.94 4.14 and 3.96 respectively. Among chemical weed management practices in wheat, Bromoxynil + MCPA, Puma Super (Fenoxaprop P-ethyl) and Atlantis (Mesosulfuron Methyl- Iodosulfuron methyl sodium) were reported to be the most effective weedicides with mean value of 4.2, 4.1 and 3.98 respectively. While, in case of cotton, Pendimethalin and Dual Gold (S-metolachlor) were declared most effective pre-emergence weedicides with mean value of 4.12 and 3.88 respectively. Similarly, gramoxone (Paraquat) and Round Up (Glyphosate) were reported to be the most effective post-emergence weedicides of cotton with mean value of 4.3 and 3.99 respectively.