Integrated management of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum Koch) in wheat field under stale seedbed condition

Field experiment was conducted in order to determine the effect of wheat seeding rate and time of application of sulfosulfuron for control of Hordeum spontaneum in wheat field in 2007 in Qom Province, Iran. The experimental design was completely randomized block with four replications in which treatments were arranged as factorial. The treatments were wheat seed rates at 250, 275 and 300 kg/ha and time of application of sulfosulfuron in different growth stages of Hordeum spontaneum (four-leaves, six leaves and eight leaves). Results showed that using 275 kg/ha and application of sulfosulfuron at four-leaves growth stage of Hordeum spontaneum in stale seedbed method were the best treatments for suppressing of Hordeum spontaneum in wheat field. These treatments reduced growth of Hordeum spontaneum while increased attributed growth criteria of wheat, particularly wheat grain yield. According to economical and environmental standpoints, using wheat seed rate at 275 kg/ha and applying sulfosulfuron at four-leaves stage of Hordeum spontaneum were the best treatment for integrated management of wild barley. These treatments affected seed production of wild barley, therefore, the input of wild barley seed to seed bank can be reduced by mentioned treatments.