LAUSR

Background: Shoot functional traits that help the plant to increase its competitive ability, mechanical strength and allocation of photosynthetic products and nutrients from soils in shoot formation strengthens the plant growth. To understand the complexity of weed-crop competition via plant functional traits might be a feasible option and that can provide a better understanding of weed ecology. Methods: Present study was designed to understand the performance of wheat crop under weed infestation (Avena and Phalaris combination) during each rabi season of 2014-2017 at the experimental enclosure of Panjab University, Chandigarh. This experiment was established with water and fertilizer treatments following the Latin Square Matrix (LSM) model. Result: Results indicated that under a different mixed combination of weeds, growth parameters of wheat crop such as shoot functional traits were significantly distinguishable. However, the maximum differential response in corresponding parameters was found under combination when the wheat was grown in mixed with both the weeds and when full doses of fertilizers and water were applied. This finding now confirms that these weeds have much more inclination to exploit available resources and provide a high degree of inter-specific competition to the wheat crop.