Lower water availability coupled with labor shortage has resulted in the increasing inability of growers
to cultivate puddled transplanted rice (PTR). A field study was conducted in the wet season of 2012
and dry season of 2013 to evaluate the performance of five rice establishment methods and four weed
control treatments on weed management, and rice yield. Grass weeds were higher in dry-seeded rice
(DSR) as compared to PTR and nonpuddled transplanted rice (NPTR). The highest total weed density
(225–256 plants m−2) and total weed biomass (315–501 g m−2) were recorded in DSR while the lowest
(102–129 plants m−2 and 75–387 g m−2) in PTR. Compared with the weedy plots, the treatment pretilachlor
followed by fenoxaprop plus ethoxysulfuron plus 2,4-D provided excellent weed control. This
treatment, however, had a poor performance in NPTR. In both seasons, herbicide efficacy was better in
DSR and wet-seeded rice. PTR and DSR produced the maximum rice grain yields. The weed-free plots
and herbicide treatments produced 84–614% and 58–504% higher rice grain yield, respectively, than the
weedy plots in 2012, and a similar trend was observed in 2013.
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