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Pak. J. Bot., 44: 171-178, Special Issue May 2012.

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THREATS TO RAINFED AND CANAL IRRIGATED AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS OF THE PUNJAB, PAKISTAN BY WEED INFESTATION

MUMTAZ HUSSAIN^1*, MUHAMMAD SAJID AQEEL AHMED¹, MANSOOR HAMEED¹, MUHAMMAD AQEEL¹, SABEEH-UR-RASOOL¹ AND IFTIKHAR AHMAD²

Abstract: To record the weed flora infesting the rainfed and canal irrigated arable fields in the Punjab province, three districts viz. Chakwal, Jhelum and Rawalpindi in rainfed agro-ecosystem, while three districts in canal irrigated wheat fields i.e., Sahiwal, Qasoor and Gujrat were surveyed comprehensively to examine weed spectra. Weeds occurring in various localities largely varied with the variation in the mode of irrigation i.e., Barani areas and Canal irrigated area. In Rainfed (Barani) areas Fumeria parviflora and Asphodelus tenuifolius were noted frequently while their representation was very rare or even absent in canal irrigated areas. Carthamus oxayacantha was also observed at some sites there. The only weeds growing infrequently were hardy grasses like Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus. None of the weed could cross the limits of occasional frequency level.  Nevertheless, in canal irrigated areas Convolvulus arvensis, Anagalus arvensis, Chenopodium sp., Melilotus alba, Lepidium sativum, Lathyrus aphaca, Medicago denticulata, Rumex dentatus and Cynodon dactylon were frequently observed. Phalaris minor and Avena fatua formed very dense stands in many areas.  Carthamus oxayacantha, Poa annua, Sonchus asper and Vicia sativa were recorded infrequently. The farmers of Sahiwal and Qasoor districts seem well informed about the importance and use of weedicides as a result the spectrum of weeds growing there was quite low and none of them could establish dense stands.

¹Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

²Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha.

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: mhsial@yahoo.com