J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2014: Vol.

28 (2): 155-158 ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

EFFECT OF HERBICIDES (ALONE OR IN COMBINATION) ON PHOTOSYNTHETIC

PIGMENTS AND CARBOHYDRATE CONTENTS ON WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)
Nitasha Thakur, Neelam Sharma, Esha Sharma and Suresh Kumar
Department of Agronomy, Forages and Grassland management.CSK HPKV, Palampur-176062
email: sharma_neelam29@rediffmail.com

Received: 12-07-2014 Accepted: 12-09-2014

An experiment was conducted with wheat variety HPW-155 to study the effect of different herbicides viz. metsulfuron methyl,
clodinafop propargyl, metsulfuron methyl+ clodinafop propargyl, isoproturon + 2,4 -D at different doses along with control on
chlorophyll and carbohydrate content in wheat at different growth stages. Plant samples collected at different intervals after
herbicide application were subjected to biochemical analysis. Weed control treatments increased significantly the concentration
of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carbohydrate content in comparison to control. Application of isoproturon + 2,4-
D (1000g/ha + 500g/ha) at all the observation stages, significantly influenced the photosynthetic pigments and carbohydrate
content and resulted in higher value for chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carbohydrate content. The correlation studies between
total chlorophyll and total carbohydrate revealed positive correlation and per cent level of significance worked out at 1 per cent and
5 per cent showed that all herbicide treatments at zero 15, 45, 75 and 90 days after herbicides spray were significant at 5 per cent
whereas at 30 Days after spray was significant at 1 per cent.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important
cereal crops and the entire world depends upon the wheat
production as a major source of food. The crop has multipurpose
utility owing to its richness in carbohydrates, proteins, starch
and vitamins and wheat grain represent an important source
of food and energy. Weed control plays an important role in
influencing wheat production and quality. The acute problem
of grassy weeds along with broad leaf weeds is also not
uncommon in many parts of country and often results in huge
yield losses and makes the weed management issue more
complex1-2. Weeds caused 55.7% reduction in wheat grain
yield3. Combination of Isoproturon+ 2, 4 -D was successful
against complex weed flora and has been recommended to
the growers. However, sole use of isoproturon and 2, 4-D
continuously for a longer period, lead to development of
resistance. Hence, there is a need to find out some suitable
alternative herbicide mixture to tackle the problem of mixed
weed flora. Therefore, now a days metsulfuron methyl and
clodinafop propargyl are being recommended for efficient weed
control in wheat.
Herbicides drastically influence all aspects of primary and
secondary metabolism in crops when applied to control
undesirable weeds. Once a herbicide molecule finds its place
in living tissue of plant, a number of biochemical changes begin
to take place. While herbicide molecule alters the metabolism
of the plant, the latter degrades the structure and activity of
herbicide molecules by various biochemical processes.
Depending upon the altered nature of herbicide metabolites in
the plant, the growth and development of crop plant is affected.
Therefore, the present experiment was conducted to evaluate
the effect of individual and in combination of herbicides on
photosynthetic pigment and carbohydrate content of wheat.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A field experiment on wheat crop with nine weed control
treatments viz. metsulfuron methyl @ 2, 4 and 8 g/ ha;
clodinafop propargyl @ 30, 60 and 120 g/ha; clodinafop
propargyl 60g/ha+ metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha; isoproturon 1000
g/ha+ 2, 4-D 500 g/ha and control was conducted in
randomized block design with three replications during the
rabi season at the Research Farm of Department of Agronomy,
Forages and Grassland Management, Himachal Pradesh
Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur. The soil of the experimental
field was silty clay loam in texture and acidic in reaction (pH
5.6). The fresh plants were collected at different intervals of
time i.e. 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 after herbicide spray and were
used for biochemical anaysis. Chlorophyll content in fresh
wheat plant was estimated by method outlined4 and total
carbohydrates were estimated as per the method5.
 Effect of Herbicides (Alone or In Combination) on Photosynthetic (156)

Table-1. Effect of different treatments on total chlorophyll content (mg/g fresh weight) in wheat plant

Table-2. Effect of different treatments on chlorophyll a content (mg/g fresh weight) in wheat plant

Table-3. Effect of different treatments on chlorophyll b content (mg/g fresh weight) in wheat plant
(157) Thakur, Sharma, Sharma and Kumar
Table-4. Effect of different treatments on total carbohydrate content (mg/g dry weight) in wheat plant
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Data on effect of different herbicides (alone or in combination)
at different doses on total content in wheat plant at different
time intervals are presented in Table-1. Data revealed that
different treatments did not influence the total chlorophyll
content significantly on the day of herbicide application i.e.
zero day. Among different weed control treatments, significantly
higher total chlorophyll content was recorded in isoproturon
1000g/ha+2,4-D 500 g/ha at all stages of sampling followed
by metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha. However, isoproturon 1000g/
ha+2,4-D 500 g/ha and metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha treatments
remained statistically similar with metsulfuron methyl 2g/ha,
clodinafop propargyl 60g/ha and clodinafop propargyl 60g/ha+
metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 15 days after spray ; clodinafop
propargyl 60g/ha and clodinafop propargyl 60 g/ha+ metsulfuron
methyl 4g/ha at 30 days after spray ; clodinafop propargyl
60g/ha + metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 75days after spray ;
clodinafop propargyl 60g/ha and clodinafop propargyl 60g/ha+
metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 90 days after spray. Significantly
lower content was recorded in control. Almost similar trend
was observed in chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b showing
significantly higher value for chlorophyll a by treatments
isoproturon 1000g/ha +2,4 -D 500g/ha and metsulfuron methyl
4g/ha (Table-2) and significantly higher value for chlorophyll b
by treatment isoproturon 1000g/ha +2,4 -D 500g/ha (Table-3 ).
At zero day after spray, there was no effect on carbohydrate
content in wheat plant (Table-4). Among different weed control
treatments, application of isoproturon1000g/ha +2,4-D 500g/
ha at all stages of sampling resulted in significantly higher
content of carbohydrate. However, this treatment remained
statistically similar with all treatments except control at 15
days after spray; clodinafop propargyl 60g/ha + metsulfuron
methyl 4g/ha at 30 days after spray; metsulfuron methyl 4g/
ha, metsulfuron methyl 8g/ha and clodinafop propargyl 60 g/
ha+ metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 45 days after spray; clodinafop
propargyl 60 g/ha + metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 60 days after
spray and metsulfuron methyl 4g/ha at 90 days after spray in
this regard. Significantly lowest content was recorded in
control.
The correlations were worked out between total chlorophyll
content and total carbohydrate content at different stages of
sampling. A positive correlation between total chlorophyll and
total carbohydrate content was observed at all the stages of
observations i.e. at 0( 2hrs), 15, 30, 45 , 60, 75 and 90 days
after spray with regression coefficients 0.692, 0.684,
0.817,0.637, 0.293, 0.658 and 0.746 respectively. The per cent
level of significance worked out at 1 percent and 5 percent
showed that correlation between total chlorophyll content and
total carbohydrate content among all herbicidal treatment at
30 days after spray was significant at 1 per cent whereas, at
0 (2 hrs), 15, 45, 75 and 90 days after herbicide application
were significant at 5 per cent. However, at 60 day after herbicide
application correlation was not significant at both levels of
significance i.e. 1 per cent or 5 per cent.
Chlorophyll content is of particular significance in crop
physiology as an indicator of photosynthetic activity. The lowest
value of photosynthetic concentrations of chlorophyll a,
chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll (mg/g fresh weight) of wheat
 Effect of Herbicides (Alone or In Combination) on Photosynthetic
plants were recorded by control. These results are in harmony
with those obtained by other workers who indicated significantly 1.
lower value of control to all herbicidal treatments6. Researchers 2.
mentioned that the herbicides (isoproturon, clodinafop
propargyl) had a significant effect on chlorophyll a, total
3.
chlorophyll and carbohydrate content in wheat plant7.
Similar trend was observed in total sugar content indicated
4.
the direct relationship of chlorophyll content with sugar content.
The rate of CO2 assimilation per unit time is determined by
5.
quantity of chlorophyll molecules and this assimilation rate of
CO2 directly governs the total sugar content in leaves8.
The efficient weed control by different herbicides might have
6.
led to increase in the photosynthetic efficiency of plants and
in turn led to higher sugar content in wheat plants. The
correlation study also clearly indicated the positive correlation 7.
between the chlorophyll and carbohydrate content at all stages
of sampling.
8.
(158)
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