Influence of Tillage and Weed Management Practices on Growth Performance and Soil Nutrient Status of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Central Plains of Uttar Pradesh

Wheat productivity and soil health in the Indo-Gangetic Plains are increasingly challenged by intensive tillage practices and weed infestation, which degrade soil structure, reduce nutrient availability and lower yield sustainability. To address these challenges, the present investigation was conducted during two consecutive Rabi (winter) seasons of 2022–23 and 2023–24 at the Students’ Instructional Farm, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur (U.P.), to evaluate the effect of tillage and weed management practices on growth, yield, and soil properties of wheat. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with three tillage practices in the main plots, viz., zero tillage (T1), reduced tillage (T2) and conventional tillage (T3) and six weed management practices in sub-plots, namely pyroxasulfone @ 120 g/ha as pre-emergence fb clodinafop-propargyl @ 60 g/ha at 35 DAS (W1), pendimethalin @ 1000 g/ha + metribuzin @ 210 g/ha as pre-emergence (W2), clodinafop-propargyl @ 60 g/ha + metsulfuron-methyl @ 4 g/ha at 35 DAS (W3), pinoxaden @ 50 g/ha + carfentrazone-ethyl @ 20 g/ha at 35 DAS (W4), weed-free (W5) and weedy check (W6). Pooled results revealed that zero tillage recorded the highest dry matter accumulation (80.19, 455.76, 815.58 and 937.68 g m⁻² at 30, 60, 90 DAS and harvest, respectively), closely followed by reduced tillage, while conventional tillage was lowest. Similarly, maximum tiller number was observed under zero tillage (78.46 m⁻² at harvest), statistically at par with reduced tillage. Among weed management, weed-free (973.56 g m⁻² dry matter and 83.03 tillers m⁻²) was superior, comparable with clodinafop + metsulfuron and pinoxaden + carfentrazone, whereas weedy check remained inferior. Soil fertility improved under zero tillage and weed-free conditions with higher organic carbon (0.515–0.530%) and nutrient availability, while bulk density was lowest (1.47–1.52 g cc⁻¹). Overall, zero tillage combined with effective herbicides enhanced crop growth, yield attributes, and soil properties, highlighting its potential for sustainable wheat production.