Weed management effect to increase grain yield in dry direct-seeded rice

An experiment was conducted during Kharif 2016 and 2017 at Agricultural Research Station, Dhadesugur, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India, to study the bio-efficacy of weed control practices on weeds and grain yield of dry-seeded rice. The dominant grassy weeds in fields were Echinochloa sp. Panicum repens, Cynodon dactylon, Bracharia mutica, Digitarias sanguinalis, Commelina communis and Leptochloa chinensis. Broad-leaf weeds were Eclipta alba, and Ludwigia parviflora and Cyperus sp. as sedge. Results revealed that, pre-emergence application of pretilachlor + pyrazosulfuron-ethyl (600 + 15 g/ha) recorded significantly lower weed dry weight at 15, 30 and 45 DAS during Kharif 2016 and 2017, higher weed control efficiency at 15, 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) (82.6, 80.2 and 80.6% during Kharif 2016 and 82.1, 82.7 and 80.2%, respectively during Kharif 2017, respectively) and higher rice grain yield (4.92 and 4.98 t/ha during Kharif 2016 and 2017, respectively) and which was at a par with twice hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS.