Bio-efficacy of different herbicides in direct seeded rice (Oryza sativa) under temperate Kashmir valley conditions

A field experiment was conducted at Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops, Khudwani, during the rainy (kharif) seaons of 2008, 2009 and 2010 on silty clay loam soil, to evaluate 6 herbicide treatments, viz. pendimethalin @ 1.2 kg a.i./ha (5 days after sowing), butachlor @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (3 days after sowing) + 2, 4-D @ 0.40 kg a.i./ha (15 days after sowing), almix @ 2.5 g/ha (7 days after sowing), pretilachlor 750 g a.i./ha (3 days after sowing), penoxulam 22.5 g/ha (8 days after sowing) and ethoxy sulfuron @ 312 g/ha (10 days after sowing), along with weedy check and weed-free treatment, were tested to ascertain the most effective herbicide for control of the weeds in direct-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.). The maximum grain yield, yield attributes and weed-control efficiency were recorded with the application of penoxulam @ 22.5 g/ha (8 days after sowing). The maximum reduction in grain yield over weed-free treatment was recorded in weedy check (48.5% a) and the least reduction in penoxulam @ 22.5 g/ha (2.4%). Application of penoxulam @ 22.5 g/ha being at par with weed-free treatment proved superior to the other weed-management practices for grain yield and yield attributes.