Beneficial interaction of allelopathic bacteria with chemical herbicides for sustainable wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production under wild oat (Avena fatua L.) infestation.

Weeds are one of the major limiting factors for wheat production. So, a study was conducted to integrate allelopathic bacteria with a reduced dose of chemical herbicide for sustainable wheat production in wild oat infestation. Cyanide-producing Pseudomonas strains were applied in 4 combinations with and without 2 chemical herbicides (Axial and Atlantis) at the 25% and 50% recommended doses under axenic conditions. Results showed that the C4 bacterial combination (combination of B11×T19×T24×T75 bacterial strains) significantly reduced the growth and development of wild oat under 50% Axial while increasing wheat growth. Subsequently, C4 combination and Axial herbicide were selected for field evaluation, where they reduced the weed density (82.1%), soil plant analysis development (SPAD) value (26.0%), grain yield (88.2%) under 75% Axial, relative wild oat density (70.9%), photosynthetic rate (26.6%), and transpiration rate (25.6%) under 50% Axial in wild oat. While the C4 combination improved SPAD value (26.9%), shoot length (10.1%), tillering (33.3%), biological yield (32.7%), straw yield (24.4%), grain yield (46.8%), transpiration rate (9.6%), and stomatal conductance (14.7%) in wheat under 75% Axial. The increase in growth and yield of wheat was found to be similar to C4 under 50% and 75% Axial. Thus, it is concluded that allelopathic bacteria could be used with 50% Axial for sustainable wheat production under wild oat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]