Gullidanda is the most serious and highly competitive grass weed in wheat fields and it has potential to cause significant wheat yield losses, warned experts of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).
Dr Thakar Singh, Head, Department of Agronomy, explained, “It prefers medium to heavy, moist and well drained soils, hence it is major problem especially in areas where wheat is sown in rotation with rice.” He further observed, “Use of post-emergence herbicides, after first irrigation, is the most commonly adopted method for its control in wheat in the state. However, many reports of failure of post-emergence herbicides were reported from different areas in the last wheat season, which may be due to development of resistance in gullidanda against these herbicides.”
Dr M.S. Bhullar, Senior Agronomist, said there are two alternative methods available with which gullidanda can be controlled at the time of sowing of wheat. First, in fields where wheat is to be sown using conventional tillage, one spray of Stomp/Bunker/Dost 30EC (pendimethalin) @ 1.5 litre/acre in wattar field prevents germination and emergence of this weed, he informed.
Herbicide, however, must be sprayed within two days of sowing by dissolving in 200 litres of water. Always use hand/battery/power sprayer fitted with flat fan or flood jet nozzle/s for spray of herbicide, he stressed. Second, sowing of wheat with Happy Seeder, in standing rice stubbles, significantly reduces gullidanda problem, he said.
Adoption of any of above cited two practices, herbicide spray in tilled field or sowing with Happy Seeder in rice residues, will reducegullidanda problem in wheat, he added.
Further, in fields where wheat is to be sown directly under zero tillage conditions, after removing rice straw from the field, and where gullidanda and other weeds have already emerged, spray Gramoxone 24 SL (paraquat) @ 500 ml/acre in 200 litres of water one day before sowing of wheat.
Source:http://www.pau.edu/
