Multilocational evaluation of early post-emergence herbicide application on weed control, yield and economics of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) through front-line demonstration

Climate change provides substantial problems to world agriculture, especially for key crops like rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rising temperatures, variable rainfall, and altered weed dynamics have made crop-weed competition more intense, demanding better weed management measures. Weeds severely lower rice yields by competing for key resources, and hand weeding is both labour-intensive and inefficient. Early post-emergence herbicide spraying has emerged as a viable option, delivering excellent weed control while improving crop development and production. Hence considering the following a frontline demonstration was conducted at farmers’ field of Puri, Sundargarh and Bolangir district of Odisha during kharif 2023 to compare demonstration of Post emergence application of Cyhalofop butyl + Penoxulam @ 135 g ai/ha at 20 DAT with farmers practice of pre emergence application of Pretrilachlor @ 0.5 kg ai/ha, where, the demonstration treatment recorded highest ear bearing tillers (340 nos. /m² in Puri; 348 nos. /m² in Sundargarh and 346 nos. /m² in Bolangir district), grains per panicle (124 nos. in Puri; 122 nos. in Sundargarh and 122 nos. in Bolangir district), grain yield (43.3 q/ha in Puri; 44.2 q/ha in Sundargarh and 44.1 q/ha in Bolangir district) and benefit cost ration (1.78 in Puri; 1.79 in Sundargarh and 1.77 in Bolangir district).