Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

RAINFED RICE A SOURCEBOOK OF BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES IN EASTERN INDIA
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Flooding (submergence)
After the transplanting of traditional
rice cultivars, farmers maintain a
depth of 5-10 cm of standing water
in the field and continue with this
up to the flowering stage. This
prevents the growth of weeds,
particularly grasses and sedges. This
practice is possible only where water
is in natural abundance. Some
improved varieties of rice are not
suitable for this as their tillering is
inhibited.
Use of clean seed
Farmers should use high-quality
seeds that are free from weed seeds.
To ensure weed-free seed:
select plots with less weeds;
thresh the produce in a clean spot
(to reduce the chances of
contamination with weed seed);
and
winnow the seeds thoroughly.
Burning of weed plants in crop field
Some weeds that grow massively are uprooted after ploughing or their
aerial portions-are cut and accumulated in one place and burned.
Sometimes, particularly after the harvesting of the dry-season crop, its
stubble is also burned in the field. This raises the temperature of the surface
soil and the loss of viability of certain weed species.
Cutting and burning of weeds