Field Performance of Allelopathic Bacteria for Biological Weed Control in Wheat: Innovative, Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Approach for Enhanced Crop Production

Tasawar Abbas, Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Muhammad Naveed, Mona S. Alwahibi, Mohamed Soliman Elshikh and Mohamed A. El-Esawi
Additional contact information
Tasawar Abbas: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Zahir Ahmad Zahir: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Muhammad Naveed: Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
Mona S. Alwahibi: Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Soliman Elshikh: Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed A. El-Esawi: Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Application of allelopathic bacteria (AB) for weed suppression may be helpful to solve various environmental challenges posed by conventional weed control techniques. In our earlier studies, around 400 strains of rhizobacteria of five weeds and wheat were isolated, screened for production of phytotoxic substances, and tested for phytotoxic activity on wild oat and little seed canary grass, and possible effects on wheat under laboratory conditions. We obtained 13 strains inhibitory to wild oat ( Avena fatua L.) and 11 to little seed canary grass ( Phalaris minor Retz.). Five of these (13 and 11) strains also suppressed wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) while others either stimulated or remained ineffective on wheat in separate bioassays. The success of any weed biocontrol technique, however, depends on its response under field conditions. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate biological weed control of the five most efficient strains of AB under natural conditions in pot and field trials. Wheat was artificially invaded with wild oat in the pot trial through seeding. Wheat of the field trial was artificially invaded with wild oat and little seed canary through seeding. The selected strains belonged to pseudomonads ( Pseudomonas putida , P. fluorescence , P. aeruginosa , and P. alcaligenes ) and their inocula were prepared using sterilized peat. The inoculated seeds of wild oat and wheat were sown together in a pot trial. The inoculated seeds of wild oat, little seed canary grass, and wheat were sown together in the field experiment. The field was selected based on chronic infestation of these weeds. However, weed invasion was ensured by adding seeds of weeds (inoculated with the respective strains of AB, according to treatment plan). A severe invasion of wild oat was observed in the pot trial, which reduced the grain yield of infested wheat up to 60.8%. The effectiveness of applied strains controlled 22.0–76.3% loss of grain yield of infested wheat. Weed invasion in the field trial reduced the grain yield of the crop up to 56.3% and effectiveness of the applied strains controlled 29.0–60.7% loss of grain yield of infested wheat. The study of other agronomic, physiological, and chemical parameters of the crop and weeds supported these findings. Harnessing the potential of these strains exhibited in our studies may be helpful to introduce an innovative, sustainable, and eco-friendly weed control technique for production of wheat.

Keywords: allelopathic bacteria; weed control; wild oat; little seed canary grass; wheat; phytotoxic metabolites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/8936/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/8936/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:8936-:d:435688

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().