Integrated weed management practices on growth and yield of direct-seeded lowland rice

Field experiments were conducted to find out the effect of integrated weed management practices on growth and yield of direct seeded rice in Cauvery delta zone. Twelve weed control treatments were tested in randomised block design replicated thrice. The treatments consisted of post-emergence application of metamifop (75, 100, 125 g/ha), pre emergence application of pretilachlor + safener 0.45 kg/ha alone and their combination with one hand weeding at 45 DAS. In addition, post-emergence metamifop 200 g/ha and cyhalofop-butyl 100 g/ha alone was also tested along with two hand weeding at 25 and 45 DAS and unweeded control. The results revealed that two hand weeding was found to be better in terms of weed control and grain yield of rice over other weed management practices. Among the herbicides, the preemergence application of pretilachlor + safener 0.45 kg/ha followed by one hand weeding at 45 DAS was effective in controlling all weeds and registered higher yield attributes and yield in wet-seeded rice which was at par with two hand weeding. Greater reduction in grass weed population was observed with postemergence application of metamifop 100 and 125 g/ha as compared to other herbicides. Pre-emergence application of pretilachlor + safener 0.45 kg/ha followed by one hand weeding at 45 DAS was found to be ideal weed management practice for improving the rice grain yield by eliminating crop-weed competition in wet-seeded rice.