Response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and associated grassy weeds grown in salt-affected soil to effects of graminicides and indole acetic acid

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out in two successive seasons to examine the effect of weed management on wheat crop under saline condition and how herbicides can interact with foliar application with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) to improve weed suppression and enhance crop growth and productivity under salinity stress. Clodinafop-propargyl was the best option to attain acceptable grassy weeds control. Increasing IAA from 0 up to 150 ppm significantly increased number and dry weight of grassy weeds in wheat after 80 days from sowing. Application of IAA at 150 ppm recorded the highest number and dry weight of weeds. Clodinafop-propargyl produced the lowest values of number and dry weight of weeds as well as nutrients uptake by weeds when water spraying was added. While application of IAA at 150 ppm gave the maximum values of flag leaf area, SPAD meter values, number of spike/m2, spike length, number of spikelets/spike, grains number/spike, grains weight/spike, as well as grain, straw, and total crude protein, phosphorus and potassium percentages when clodinafop-propargyl treatment was applied. It could be concluded that using IAA at 150 ppm resulted in enhancement of growth and productivity of wheat crop when integrated with clodinafop-propargyl treatment under salinity condition.