Weed prevalence and productivity of transplanted rice influences by varieties, weed management regimes and row spacing

In input intensive agriculture, weeds are major biotic constraints which are likely to increase and become more complex. Overreliance on single weed management practice may further exaggerate weed severity and also invite adverse effect, therefore, urgent technological intervention adopted on eco-friendly integrated weed management to improve weed control and sustaining the productivity in transplanted rice. The aim of the study was to compare two popular rice varieties ('Swarna' and 'Mahamaya') with two row spacing (15 and 20 cm) along with three weed management regimes [weedy, bispyribac sodium 25 g ha-1 and two hand weeding at 20 and 40 days after transplanting (DAT)] on weed suppression and rice productivity. Our findings suggest that Swarna at 15 cm spacing along with two hand weeding enhance the weed suppression and provides higher rice productivity and can be adopted as integrated weed management options to minimize yield loss due to weeds competition in the region. In the study, more than two factors of weed management have been attempted which provide additional information to researcher, policy makers and rice growers to choose and disseminate real integration of weed management options.