Ecology and Growth of Weeds and Weedy Rice in Direct-seeded Rice Fields

This experiment was carried out at Yeongnam Crop Experiment Station since 1992 to obtain basic information on ecology of weeds and weedy rice in direct-seeded rice fields. Annual grass weeds of Echinochloa sp., Leptochloa sp., Digitaria sp. and Setaria sp.(C4 plant) and weedy rice(C3 plant) were important species in direct seeded rice compared to transplanted rice field. Period of seedling emergence of barnyard grass was varied from 8 days to 20 days depending on seeding date while it was shorter 4 to 6 days than rice. Weed occurrence and the degree of yield loss were varied by cultivation method. In direct seeding method weeds increased 2 to 3 times compared to manual transplanting. The greatest yield loss was recorded in direct seeding(40 to 100%) followed by mechanical transplanting(25 to 35%) and hand transplanting(10 to 20%), in order. Double cropping of rice-barley was reduced weeds about 30% than rice single crop due to alleopathic effect of barley residue or stubble. Weedy rice(red rice) occurrence was closely related with seeding date and tillage methods. Early seeding and reduced tillage enhanced the growth of weedy rice.