MARDAN: An international conference held at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, (AWKUM) here on Tuesday discussed ways to increase agricultural production, reduce production cost and maintain soil fertility.

The conference was organised by Agronomy Department of the varsity and Dr Kawsar Ali was its chief organiser.

Agronomy Department chairman Dr Zafar Hayat Khan was secretary of the conference for 2020 held with the theme `sustainability through vegetation management`.

It was hosted by the Department of Agriculture at Garden Campus, Mardan.

AWKUM VC Prof Khurshid Khan inaugurated the conference and welcomed the foreign delegates and national scientists. He asked the students and teachers to benefit from the experience and knowledge of the foreign experts on the subject.

Prominent speakers on the occasion included Prof Khan Bahadur Marwat, Dr Khalid Nawab, Dr Masood Ahmad and others.

Prof Marwat thanked the experts from University of Agriculture Faisalabad, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan Science Foundation and others for their input in the conference.

Dr Kawsar Ali said that weed control was one of the most intensive management practices in different production systems in tropical regions that could influence both agricultural productivity and impact environment.

It was stated that potential yield reductions caused by uncontrolled weeds were estimated at 4595 per cent depending on the crop, ecological and climatic conditions.

Dr Zaf ar Hayat said that there were numerous methods of mechanical control of weeds, including mowing, cultivation, hoeing, flaming, mulching and hand weeding.

Chemical control of weeds mainly consists of using preand post-emergence herbicides and soil fumigant.

Dr Badshah Islam, chairman Horticulture Department at AWKUM, said that such conferences could be helpful to establish academic linkages among Pakistani students and foreign scholars. Correspondent