Archives of Current Research International

A growing consumer preference for residue-free and environmentally sustainable food has accelerated interest in organic wheat cultivation. Organic nutrient management relies primarily on farmyard manure, composts, vermicompost, and green manures, which improve soil organic matter, nutrient availability, and microbial activity. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nutrient and weed management on the growth and yield of organic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The study assessed four nutrient management levels (Control, 50% RDN, 75% RDN and 100% RDN) in the main plot and seven weed management practices (Control, Hand weeding, Hoeing, Intercropping with mustard, Straw mulch followed by hand weeding, Straw mulch followed by hoeing, and Green manuring) in the subplot and treatments were replicated with thrice. Results revealed that nutrient management exerted a significant influence on crop productivity. Grain and biological yields increased progressively with nutrient application, with 100% RDN producing the highest pooled grain yield (4294 kg ha⁻¹) and biological yield (9715 kg ha⁻¹). The intermediate levels of 75% RDN also showed substantial yield improvement over the control, indicating the efficiency of organic nutrient blends in sustaining crop growth. Weed management practices, namely, Hoeing and hand weeding at 25 and 50 DAS, recorded the highest pooled grain yields (4494 and 4473 kg ha⁻¹, respectively), closely followed by straw mulch combined with hoeing or hand weeding. These results demonstrate that timely mechanical weeding and mulching effectively suppress weed growth, ultimately translating into higher productivity. Conversely, intercropping wheat with mustard (4:2) resulted in the lowest yields due to interspecific competition, particularly for moisture and nutrients. The study concluded that both nutrient and weed management practices exerted a significant influence on the productivity of organic wheat.