Mechanical interventions in weed management boost profitability in organic wheat, says PAU study

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 10

Weed management is a major constraint in organic production and necessitates the integration of various non-chemical practices for its success. A team of scientists led by Dr CS Aulakh, principal agronomist, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has investigated various combinations of cultural and mechanical practices for effective weed management in organic wheat. The study was conducted over a period of four years at Ludhiana.

Dr Aulakh explained that organic farming is an emerging alternative form of agriculture aimed at sustainable agricultural production, coupled with the conservation of natural resources. It is not just about abandoning agro-chemicals. In fact, it is a blend of farm design and management to create an ecosystem which can achieve sustainable productivity without the use of external artificial inputs such as chemical fertilisers and pesticides, he added.

Talking about the results of the investigation, Dr AS Sidhu, an agronomist at the School of Organic Farming, said mechanical weeding in bed-sown wheat, rice straw mulch and soil mulch, enhanced wheat grain yield by 34-48 per cent as compared to the un-weeded cultivation. The study, however, found that manual weeding is best method in managing weed but has limitations of the non-availability of labour and high cost.

Based on the research findings, PAU has recommended that for higher profitability from organic wheat, it should be sown on beds (in two rows on a 37.5 cm wide bed having 30 cm furrow) and mechanical weeding should be practiced 30 days and 45 days after the sowing. The weeding should be done in the bed by using a tyne between two wheat rows. This method gave weed control efficiency of 92.5 per cent and a profitability that was 253 per cent higher as compared to unweeded situations.

Effective weed management with mechanical interventions in bed-sown organic wheat will encourage more farmers to grow organic wheat, Dr Sidhu stated.

Grain yield up by 34-48 per cent

• Dr AS Sidhu, an agronomist at the School of Organic Farming, said mechanical weeding in bed-sown wheat, rice straw mulch and soil mulch, enhanced wheat grain yield by 34-48 per cent as compared to the unweeded cultivation.
• The study, however, found that manual weeding is best method in managing weed but has limitations of the non-availability of labour and high cost.

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