Pest science and management

Weed and nitrogen management through inorganic and companion crops for drum-seeded wet rice
E. Subramanian, G. James Martin, D. Rajakumar, and R. Durai Singh Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641003, India

Wet seeding is increasingly becoming important in present-day rice production systems as it saves time, labor, and energy; improves profitability; increases cropping intensity (through reduced turnaround); and avoids arduous operations such as nursery preparation and transplanting (Subbaiah and Balasubramanian 2000). The transformation in crop establishment technique from transplanted to wet seeded rice cultivation has resulted in a dramatic change in the type and degree of weed infestation. In recent years, deterioration in soil health due to application of chemical fertilizers alone necessitated the judicious combination of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer to improve soil fertility to sustain rice production. To address the problems of weed infestation and low nitrogen use efficiency, the present investigation was undertaken to identify effective and feasible integrated weed and nitrogen management practices for drum-seeded wet rice. Field experiments were conducted during the 2002 kharif (wet season) and the 2002-03 rabi (monsoon season) at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (11N latitude and 77E longitude at 426.7 m altitude). Gross plot and net plot sizes were 4.8 m 4.5 m and 4 m 4 m, respectively. Soil was clay loam with pH 7.4, 0.58% organic C, and 196.3 kg N, 16.5 kg P, and 480.2 kg K ha1. Rice seeds were soaked in water overnight and incubated for 24 h. Sprouted rice seeds of ADT44 (kharif) and Co 47 (rabi) were sown at 80 kg ha1 using a drum seeder at a spacing of 20 cm onto puddled soil on 4 July 2002 and 23 Oct. 2002. The companion crop, sesbania (Sesbania aculeata Poir), was sown at a seed rate of 15 kg ha1 at 2:1 (rice:sesbania) ratio. A dual crop of azolla (Azolla microphylla Kaulf) was inoculated 15 d after sowing (DAS) at 1.0 t ha1. Sesbania and azolla were trampled into the soil using a cono weeder at 35 DAS. Recommended levels of N, P, and K at 150:50:50 kg ha1 were applied. Nitrogen 100% (150 kg) and 75% (112.5 kg) were applied as per the treatments in four equal splits (20 DAS, at active tillering, at panicle initiation, and at flowering); a
2011, Vol. 36

International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)

Pest science and management

single dose of P as basal and K were applied along with N in four equal splits. The weed and N management treatments (see table) were arranged in a split-plot design with three replications. Weed samples were taken at 50 DAS in each plot at four randomly selected spots using a 0.25-m2 quadrant. The samples were oven-dried at 70 C for 48 h, and the dry weight recorded. The common weeds found were Echinochloa colona, E. crus-galli, Cyperus difformis, C. iria, Fimbristylis miliacea, Eclipta alba, Ammannia baccifera, and Ludwigia parviflora. Rice samples from a 0.5-m2 area were taken at harvest and the yield components recorded. Two hand weedings and pretilachlor plus safener followed by one hand weeding were equally effective in reducing weed density and weed dry weight. The broad-spectrum weed control achieved with pretilachlor plus safener was evident from the drastic reduction in weed density (45 seedlings m2) and weed dry weight (27 g m2). The control of weeds by pretilachlor plus safener followed by one hand weeding was comparable with two hand weedings in terms of reduced weed density (38 seedlings m2) and dry weight (24 g m2) in both years. Better control of all categories of weeds from preemergence to crop-weed competition period (up to 60 d) of wet-seeded rice was achieved by pretilachlor plus safener followed by one hand weeding; the higher number of panicles (444 and 436 m2) resulted in higher grain yield (6.0 and 5.8 t ha1) during both seasons. Growing sesbania and azolla as companion crops, followed by mechanical incorporation at the early stages (35 DAS), reduced weed density and dry weight. Higher fertilizer N (100%) along with organic sources (sesbania and azolla) enhanced the yield attributes of rice and consequently resulted in higher grain yield (5.8 t ha1 in the wet season and 5.5 t ha1 in the monsoon season). These indicate that intercropping and dual cropping practices could lead to moderate weed suppression, resulting in higher nutrient uptake and higher dry matter production. The conoweeder incorporation of sesbania and azolla resulted in higher uptake of nutrients, which favored the rice crop, and suppressed the weed species. Similar findings on the impact of sesbania intercropping in reducing weed density and dry weight were reported by Ravisankar (2002), whereas Divakaran and Sundaram (1998) reported reduced weed density and dry weight from azolla dual cropping. These results imply that the integrated use of N using organic and inorganic sources produced more grain yield than inorganic fertilizer alone. Preemergence application of pretilachlor plus safener, followed by one hand weeding at 40 DAS, combined with 100% N + sesbania intercropping + azolla dual cropping could be an effective integrated weed and N management practice for wet-seeded rice.

2011, Vol. 36

International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)

Pest science and management

References
Divakaran KR, Sundaram MD. 1998. Weed control efficiency of azolla in lowland rice ecosystem. Madras Agric. J. 85(2): 123-124. Ravisankar N. 2002. Efficacy of seeding methods, in situ incorporation of daincha and application time of pretilachlor plus on weed management and productivity of wet seeded rice. PhD thesis, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India. Subbaiah SV, Balasubramanian V. 2000. Rice situation in India: present status, future prospects and challenges. In: Wet seeding of rice in India. Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad, India, and International Rice Research Institute, Los Baos, Philippines. p 1-9.

2011, Vol. 36

International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)

Pest science and management

Influence of integrated weed and N management on weed density, weed dry weight, panicle number, and grain yield of drum-seeded wet rice.
Treatment Time of application (DAS)a Weed density (no. m2) 13.07 (171.0) 6.13 (37.4) 6.69 (45.1) 0.59 8.00 (74.0) 8.95 (91.1) 8.00 (73.6) 8.35 (76.9) 9.31 (95.3) 8.04 (74.9) 9.76 (106.0) 0.35 2002 kharif Weed dry Panicles weight (no. m2) (g m2) 10.62 (112.7) 4.90 (23.7) 5.15 (26.5) 0.23 6.38 (47.5) 7.24 (59.3) 6.36 (47.2) 6.68 (49.5) 7.42 (61.5) 6.32 (46.2) 7.81 (68.6) 0.14 292 428 444 15.8 371 352 402 416 390 439 345 16.4 Grain yield (t ha1) 3.7 5.8 6.0 0.2 5.1 4.8 5.4 5.5 5.2 5.8 4.5 0.2 Weed density (no. m2) 12.77 (163.6) 6.18 (38.3) 6.66 (44.9) 0.74 8.13 (74.2) 9.08 (91.1) 7.65 (6.67) 8.15 (74.7) 9.31 (95.8) 7.52 (65.3) 9.90 (108.0) 0.42 2002-03 rabi Weed dry Panicles weight (no. m2) (g m2) 10.28 (106.0) 4.98 (24.6) 5.24 (27.5) 0.38 6.50 (47.6) 7.22 (57.7) 6.05 (41.4) 6.59 (49.1) 7.45 (61.1) 6.01 (41.5) 8.01 (70.5) 0.18 284 413 436 17.7 358 342 390 407 378 430 339 18.1 Grain yield (t ha1)

Weed management Unweeded control Two HWb Pretilachlor with safener + 1 HW CD (p = 0.05) N management 75% N + sesbania 75% N + azolla 75% N + sesbania + azolla 100% N + sesbania 100% N + azolla 100% N+ sesbania + azolla 100% N CD (p = 0.05)
a

3.5 5.6 5.8 0.2 4.9 4.7 5.2 5.3 5.1 5.5 4.5 0.2

20 and 40 3 + 40

DAS = days after sowing. bHW = hand weeding. Numbers in parentheses are original values. Weed density and dry weight data were subjected to square root transformation.

2011, Vol. 36

International Rice Research Notes (0117-4185)