Planting techniques, Rice, Weed control, Yield, Yield parameters

A field experiment was conducted at Kotwa, Azamgarh during rainy season of 2008 and 2009 to evaluate the comparative efficacy of various planting methods and weed control measures on weeds density growth, yield attributes, grain yield and economics of rice variety ‘Godawari’. Four main rice establishment techniques comprised with six sub-plot weed control practices was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice. Echinichloa colona, E. crusgalli, Cyperus rotundus, C. difformis and Commelina benghalensis were predominant weed species. Among the rice establishment techniques, puddled transplanted practices proved best for reducing weed dry matter accumulation and produced significantly highest mean grain yield (3.89 t/ha) along with yield contributing parameters in comparison to rest planting methods. Direct drum-seeded rice under puddled condition were observed to be significantly superior and recorded 2.82 t/ha more mean grain yield over direct-dry seeding. Application of pretilachlor 750 g/ha pre-emergence followed by cyhalofop-butyl 60 g/ha post-emergence at 25 DAS/DAT was found quite effective against mixed weed flora which recorded statistically similar grain yield to that of repeated hand weedings. The integration of herbicide with tools, viz. pretilachlor 750 g/ha supplemented with mechanical weeding at 25 DAS/DAT again found equally effective in increasing the grain yield as pre- and post-emergence applied herbicides.