Research needs for improving weed management in rice

Weeds are the most important biological constraints to increasing rice productivity in Asia. They are managed by using herbicides; however, reliance on herbicides alone is not sustainable in the long run. There is thus, a need to develop sustainable weed management strategies in different rice-based cropping systems. The development and adoption of improved weed management strategies must form an integral part of sustainable rice production. Improved weed management techniques in rice should focus on shifting the crop-weed balance in favour of rice by integrating possible cultural, physical, and biological weed management tools with judicious use of herbicides. Together, these approaches may be used as components of an integrated package in the future to slow down the evolution of new weed problems in rice production. The improved weed management approaches should aim to reduce the weed seed bank before crop sowing and reduce weed emergence and weed growth in rice.