EXPLORATION AND INVENTORYING OF WEEDS IN WHEAT CROP OF THE DISTRICT MALAKAND, PAKISTAN

District Malakand lies on the northern side of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The landscape represents both plain and hilly regions. Various kinds of crops are grown among which wheat is cultivated on large scale. In order to explore weed species diversity in the region, a phytosociological survey was conducted in the summer 2014. Such study was required as there has been no such record of weeds diversity of the region. Different fields were selected at various localities of the district. The total number of fields selected was 120 and in each field 10, 1x1m^2 quadrats were laid. A questionnaire was also circulated to investigate about the farming practices and most dangerous species of weeds having greater effect on production and post harvest losses of wheat. Plants were collected from various localities, voucher numbers were given to specimens and other relevant data pertaining to locality i.e., habitat, habit, family, scientific and local names of each species. Mounted copy of each voucher specimen was deposited to the Herbarium of Hazara University Mansehra. This study not only provided first inventory of weed plants but it also helped point out most dangerous species related to wheat yield losses. Results of this study revealed a total of 132 weeds plant species belonging to 110 genera and 42 families. Most of the species investigated were Angiosperms. Family Asteraceae was the richest family related to species diversity with 18 species and 17 genera. It is followed by Poaceae having 16 species and 16 genera. Next in succession are family Brasicaceae with 10 genera and 16 species and family Boraginaceae with 5 genera and 7 species. Other families like Caryophyllaceae, Papilionaceae, Fabaceae, Polygonaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Umbilliferae have 6,6,4,5,4 and 3 species and 6,3,4,3,3 and 3 genera respectively. Species like Silybum marianum (Asteraceae), Emex spinosa (Polygonaceae) and Circium arvense (Asteraceae) are considered to be the most threatening species during the time of harvesting the crop. Further study along this line is the basic part of the on-going project which will provide a base line for the development of agricultural crops in the region.