Integrated Weed Management in Rice

Integrated Weed Management (IWM) in Rice 

Technology Profile 

The IWM package developed, recommended, demonstrated and implemented by the farmers included 

• High yielding high zinc medium duration variety DRRDhan 45.
• Adoption of recommended seed rate of 30kg/ha.
• Drum seeding under puddle condition/ transplanting.
• Pre-sowing herbicide application of Glyphophate @2.5 to 5 l/ha in the main field 15 days before field preparation for drum seeder sowing.Application of penoxsulam+cyhalotofop butyl @2.5 l/ha.at tillering stage to control second flush of broadspectrum weed flora
• Application of pyrozosulfuron ethyl @ 200gm/ha within 3 days of sowing.Application of penoxsulam+cyhalotofop butyl @2.5 l/ha.at tillering stage to control second flush of broadspectrum weed flora.
• Top dressing nitrogen only after weeding operation.
• Need based application of plant protection chemicals

Context 

Need – Due to labor scarcity, high labor wages and non availability at the critical stages 

Existing practices- Majority of the rice farmers practice manual hand weeding 

Potential losses : Expenditure on manual hand weeding is nearly double the expenditure on IWM Areas: In majority of the rice growing areas in Telangana and Andhrapradesh 

Empirical Evidences 

Demonstration yields and incomes

• by reduced cost of cultivation with Opportunity costs with better weed management
• by way of increasing income by improving productivity
• Table 4:  IWM in Farmers field Demonstration for increasing income 

Practical utility/Scalability 

• Demonstrations were successful and other rice farmers in the Demo villages are asking for provision of technology and inputs.
• Progressive rice farmers are practicing IWM successfully
• The farmers who understood the benefits of the technology are not going back to manual hand weeding.