Weed Growth and Productivity of Direct Seeded Rice under Different Nitrogen and Weed Management Practices

The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications comprising sixteen treatment combinations. Treatments consisted of four weed management practices (W₁: Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 at 3 DAS; W₂: Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 at 3 DAS fb penoxsulam (1%) + cyhalofop-butyl (5%) 130 g ha^-1 at 21 DAS ; W₃: Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 at 3 DAS fb 1 HW at 35 DAS and W₄: Hoeing and weeding at 25 and 45 DAS in main plot and four nitrogen management practices (N₁: 100% Recommended dose of nitrogen through inorganic, N₂: 50% RDN + 50% N through Farm Yard Manure (FYM), N₃: 50% RDN+ 50% N through mustard cake, N₄: 50% RDN+ 25 % N through FYM + 25% N through mustard cake) were taken in sub-plots. Among the different weed management practices, the lowest density and dry weight of all categories of weeds as well as total weed was recorded under hoeing and weeding twice and it was at par with pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 PE fb one hand weeding. Among the nitrogen management practices, the lowest density and dry weight of all types weeds as well as total weed was recorded with 50% RDN+ 50% N through mustard cake at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 PE fb 1 HW recorded highest grain and straw yield along with high yield attributing characters like panicles per m², grains per panicle, filled grains per panicle and panicle weight and it was at par with hoeing and weeding twice. Among the nitrogen management practices, application of 50% RDN+ 50% N through mustard cake recorded the maximum value of yield attributes and yield over others. Combined application of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 PE fb 1 hand weeding at 35 DAS along with 50% RDN+ 50% N through mustard cake recorded the maximum grain and straw yield over others. Thus, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl at 25 g ha^-1 at 3 DAS fb 1 hand weeding (HW) at 35 DAS along with 50% RDN+ 50% N through mustard cake was found to be promising for effective weed management, higher productivity and profitability in direct seeded rice.