The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems
Pakistan and other South Asian countries rely on wheat for human nutrition. However, wheat yield is declining in the region due to several biotic and abiotic constraints. Weeds are among the major factors responsible for yield decrease and farmers manage them by intensive tillage practices. Several...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/9 |
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| author | Waqas Ahmed Minhas Noman Mehboob Muhammad Yahya Hafeez Ur Rehman Shahid Farooq Mubshar Hussain |
| author_facet | Waqas Ahmed Minhas Noman Mehboob Muhammad Yahya Hafeez Ur Rehman Shahid Farooq Mubshar Hussain |
| author_sort | Waqas Ahmed Minhas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pakistan and other South Asian countries rely on wheat for human nutrition. However, wheat yield is declining in the region due to several biotic and abiotic constraints. Weeds are among the major factors responsible for yield decrease and farmers manage them by intensive tillage practices. Several studies have investigated the impact of various tillage practices on weed management in wheat. However, weed suppression abilities of different mulch types are rarely tested. This three-year (2019–20, 2020–21 and 2021–22) study investigated the impact of different mulch types (prepared from different crops) on weed infestation, soil properties and productivity of wheat under conventional and conservation production systems at three locations (Multan, Hafizabad and Faisalabad) in Punjab, Pakistan. The mulches included in the study were cotton sticks mulch, mungbean straw mulch, sorghum straw mulch, rice straw mulch, sunflower straw mulch, plastic mulch, and no mulch (as control). The production systems opted for wheat cultivation were conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero-tilled wheat (ZTW) and zero-tilled wheat sown with happy seeder machine (HSW). The CTW resulted in the lowest soil bulk density and the highest soil porosity after wheat harvest, while ZTW behaved oppositely. Similarly, incorporation of crop mulches resulted in the highest soil porosity and the lowest soil bulk density, while no-mulch incorporation and plastic mulch recorded the highest bulk density and the lowest soil porosity. Regarding mulches by production systems’ interaction, CTW with sorghum straw- and plastic mulches recorded the lowest weed density and biomass, while ZTW with no-mulch recorded the highest weed density and biomass at all locations. The CTW with mungbean straw- and plastic mulches resulted in the highest yield due to significant improvement in yield-related traits. However, ZTW with sorghum straw mulch and no-mulch resulted in the lowest wheat yield. Although sorghum straw mulch suppressed weed infestation, it negatively affected wheat growth. Economic analysis revealed that CTW with mungbean straw mulch resulted in the highest gross and net incomes and benefit:cost ratio (BCR), while the ZTW with rice straw- and sorghum straw mulches produced the lowest gross and net incomes and BCR at all locations. Therefore, mungbean straw mulch is a viable option to improve wheat productivity and net economic returns under different agro-climatic conditions of Punjab, Pakistan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:12Z |
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| id | doaj.art-3f06c0775e4c4f5d8145bfbc02d661c9 |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-3f06c0775e4c4f5d8145bfbc02d661c92023-12-03T15:00:06ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-12-01121910.3390/plants12010009The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production SystemsWaqas Ahmed Minhas0Noman Mehboob1Muhammad Yahya2Hafeez Ur Rehman3Shahid Farooq4Mubshar Hussain5Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanDepartment of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanDepartment of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanDepartment of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 30800, PakistanDepartment of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, Şanlıurfa 63050, TurkeyDepartment of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, PakistanPakistan and other South Asian countries rely on wheat for human nutrition. However, wheat yield is declining in the region due to several biotic and abiotic constraints. Weeds are among the major factors responsible for yield decrease and farmers manage them by intensive tillage practices. Several studies have investigated the impact of various tillage practices on weed management in wheat. However, weed suppression abilities of different mulch types are rarely tested. This three-year (2019–20, 2020–21 and 2021–22) study investigated the impact of different mulch types (prepared from different crops) on weed infestation, soil properties and productivity of wheat under conventional and conservation production systems at three locations (Multan, Hafizabad and Faisalabad) in Punjab, Pakistan. The mulches included in the study were cotton sticks mulch, mungbean straw mulch, sorghum straw mulch, rice straw mulch, sunflower straw mulch, plastic mulch, and no mulch (as control). The production systems opted for wheat cultivation were conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero-tilled wheat (ZTW) and zero-tilled wheat sown with happy seeder machine (HSW). The CTW resulted in the lowest soil bulk density and the highest soil porosity after wheat harvest, while ZTW behaved oppositely. Similarly, incorporation of crop mulches resulted in the highest soil porosity and the lowest soil bulk density, while no-mulch incorporation and plastic mulch recorded the highest bulk density and the lowest soil porosity. Regarding mulches by production systems’ interaction, CTW with sorghum straw- and plastic mulches recorded the lowest weed density and biomass, while ZTW with no-mulch recorded the highest weed density and biomass at all locations. The CTW with mungbean straw- and plastic mulches resulted in the highest yield due to significant improvement in yield-related traits. However, ZTW with sorghum straw mulch and no-mulch resulted in the lowest wheat yield. Although sorghum straw mulch suppressed weed infestation, it negatively affected wheat growth. Economic analysis revealed that CTW with mungbean straw mulch resulted in the highest gross and net incomes and benefit:cost ratio (BCR), while the ZTW with rice straw- and sorghum straw mulches produced the lowest gross and net incomes and BCR at all locations. Therefore, mungbean straw mulch is a viable option to improve wheat productivity and net economic returns under different agro-climatic conditions of Punjab, Pakistan.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/9wheatmulchesbulk densitygrain yieldeconomic analysis |
| spellingShingle | Waqas Ahmed Minhas Noman Mehboob Muhammad Yahya Hafeez Ur Rehman Shahid Farooq Mubshar Hussain The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems Plants wheat mulches bulk density grain yield economic analysis |
| title | The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems |
| title_full | The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems |
| title_short | The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems |
| title_sort | influence of different crop mulches on weed infestation soil properties and productivity of wheat under conventional and conservation production systems |
| topic | wheat mulches bulk density grain yield economic analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/9 |
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