Optimizing growth and yield of wheat through strategic residue and weed management under rice-wheat cropping system

Rice residue management and weed control strategies are critical components in sustainable rice farming systems, influencing crop growth and production. The experiment was conducted at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology research farm from the rabi season of 2022 to rainy reason of 2024 using a split-plot design. This study explores the effects of different rice residue management practices viz., RM1- Conventional tillage; RM2- Residue retention on the soil surface (Happy Seeder); RM3- Residue incorporation in the soil (Super Seeder); RM4- Surface seeding 7 DBH (Days before sowing); RM5- Surface seeding JBH (Just before sowing) and weed management practices viz., WM1- Pinoxaden 50 g ha-1 + Metribuzin 175 g ha-1 (PoE); WM2- Clodinafop-Propargyl 60 g ha-1 + Metsulfuron-methyl 4 g ha-1 (PoE); WM3- Weedy check on growth parameters viz., plant height, numbers of tillers, dry matter accumulation, crop growth, yield attributes viz., numbers of effective tillers, numbers of grains spike-1 and yield of wheat. The rice residue incorporation in the soil (RM3) was found to be over all superior under different growth parameters yield attributes and yield of wheat grain wherein, under different chemical control (WM2) Clodinafop-propargyl 60 g ha-1 + Metsulfuron-methyl 4 g ha-1 (PoE) recorded significantly higher growth parameter, yield attributes and yield of wheat. Overall, the findings suggest that strategic rice residue management, in conjunction with appropriate weed control methods, can optimize the growth and production of wheat, thereby, promoting sustainable wheat production.