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WEED COMMUNITY DYNAMICS IN WHEAT CROP OF DISTRICT RAHIM YAR KHAN, PAKISTAN

ABDUL WAHEED¹, RAHMATULLAH QURESHI^1*, G.S. JAKHAR² AND HAYATULLAH TAREEN³

Abstract: A phytosociological survey of weeds was conducted during 2002 to check the severity of competition in wheat crop of district Rahim Yar Khan. A total of 37 weed species belonging to 33 genera and 17 families were recorded from the area under investigation. Five weed communities viz., 1) Phalaris-Cirsium-Avena in Bhong, 2) Avena-Polypogon-Melilotus in Hamidabad, 3) Phalaris-Convolvulus-Chenopodium in Machhka, 4) Polypogon-Avena-Melilotus in Rahim Yar Khan and 5) Spergula-Rumex-Phalaris in Tarinda Sawa-e-Khan were determined during this period. The dominant weed species among these communities were Avena fatua, Chenopodium album, Cirsium arvense, Convolvulus arvensis, Coronopus didymus, Cynodon dactylon, Dichanthium annulatum, Melilotus indica, Phalaris minor, Polygonum plebejum, Polypogon fugax, Rumex dentatus and Spergula arvensis. Grassy weeds were uniformly distributed throughout the selected areas in which Phalaris minor was found the most dominant and frequent weed species with Importance Value Index (IVI) of 55.13 and constancy percentage of 88. Other weed species such as Avena fatua, Polypogon fugax, Melilotus indica, Cirsium arvense, Chenopodium album and Cynodon dactylon were also uniformly observed with IVI ranging from 6.70-44.45%. Frankenia pulverulenta is proposed as a new emerging weed in saline sodic soils in the study area. This weed species has not been reported earlier as a weed in Pakistan.  

¹Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

²Department of Botany, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Pakistan

3 Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department, Islamabad, Pakistan.