Mechanical weeders, Aerobic rice, Weed management

Field experiments were conducted at wetland farm of TNAU during rabi 2006-07 and kharif  2007, to evaluate the efficiency of mechanical weeders on weeds, productivity and economics of aerobic rice. Minimum weed density, weed dry weight and higher weed control efficiency including grain yield of aerobic rice were obtained in plots receiving pre-emergence application of pendimethalin at 1.0 kg/ha followed by mechanical weeding with single type sweep weeder at 45 DAS followed by single wheel hoe at 45 DAS and both proved more remunerative than hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 days.