PJB-2018-789
ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF WEEDS OF WHEAT CROP UNDER EDAPHIC VARIATION AT TEHSIL RAZAR, DISTRICT SWABI, KP, PAKISTAN
NAVEED AKHTAR
Abstract
Abstract Ecological studies of weeds of wheat crop at tehsil Razar, district Swabi, Pakistan was conducted in spring during 2016. A total of 200 quadrats having size (1x1 m2) were placed in 20 selected wheat fields. Preliminary 90 weed species belonging to 26 families were recorded from 200 quadrats. For each weed species, analytical quantitative parameters i.e. density, frequency and cover were calculated. Twenty weed communities were recognized on the basis of highest importance value (HIV) of three leading species. Based on Raunkiaer’s law of frequency, out of 20 weed communities, 13 communities were found heterogeneous while 7 were homogeneous. Maximum number of weed species were distributed in frequency class A, B and E. Ecological characteristics like life-form spectra, leaf size spectra, species richness, species diversity and maturity index were determined for each weed community. Life-form spectra revealed that Therophytes were dominant ranged from to 95.2% for Melilotus-Medicago-Rananculus community to 76.2% for Medicago-Fumaria-Phalaris community. Leaf size spectra showed that Nanophylls were dominant ranged from 64% for Cynodon-Medicago-Cerastium community to 39.1% for Galium-Anagallis-Phalaris community. Highest species richness (1.72) was recorded for Cynodon-Anagallis-Polygonum community and lowest (0.71) for Poa-Medicago-Anagallis community. Species diversity ranged from 4.59 for Anagallis-Emex-Phalaris community to 19.37 for Cynodon-Anagallis-Polygonum community. Highest maturity index (67.7) was observed for Anagallis-Medicago-Fumaria community and lowest (39.6) for Medicago-Cynodon-Polygonum community. Higher similarity (76.1%) was recorded between Veronica-Papaver-Phalaris community and Trifolium-Cynodon-Melilotus community while lower similarity (16.6%) was recorded between Anagallis-Emex-Phalaris community and Veronica-Cerastium-Anagallis community. It was concluded that soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), Calcium carbonates and organic matter were strong edaphic variable factors for diverse weed species composition, distribution and richness.
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