Effect of Seed Rates and Weeding Frequency on Yield and Yield Components of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on Vertisols in Toke Kutaye District

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in Ethiopia. However, its production and productivity is constrained by weed infestation and inappropriate seed rate used. Hence, an experiment was conducted to determine the optimal seed rate and weeding frequency for bread wheat production on Vertisols in Toke Kutaye district during 2020 main cropping season. Treatments consisted of five levels of seed rates (75, 100, 125, 150, and 175kgha-1) and four levels of weeding frequency (zero weeding, once weeding (15DAE), twice weeding (15 and 45 DAE) and thrice weeding (15, 45 and 75 DAE). Experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with factorial combination replicated thrice. Results of the study revealed that the interaction of seed rate and weeding frequency significantly (P≤ 0.05) influenced phenological and growth parameters except days reqired for 50% emergence and yield of bread wheat. Highest wheat biomass yield (11.03tha-1), grain yield (4.47tha-1) and straw yield (6.6tha-1)were obtained using 175kgha-1seed rate with thrice hand weeding. Highest relative yield loss (71.3%) was recorded from weedy plot with 75kgha-1seed rate, while the lowest loss (1.2%) was recorded at 175kgha-1seed rate with thrice hand weeding. Highest net benefit of ETB 73,170ha-1 , marginal rate of return 884.4% and value to cost ratio of ETB 8.34 per unit of investment was obtained from 175kgha-1 seed rate combined with thrice hand weeding. Therefore, use of 175kgha-1 seed rate with thrice hand weeding was found profitable, and recommended for bread wheat production in Toke Kutaye district.