Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

RAINFED RICE A SOURCEBOOK OF BEST PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES IN EASTERN INDIA
Methods of weed control
Manual weeding
It is an age-old and widely used practice,
though it is time-consuming and often
cumbersome. It is economical in situations
where wages of labour are low or when
labour is available in abundance or when
family members work in the fields. In
addition, manual weeding is desirable in
situations where chemical or mechanical
weed control is ineffective. Further, manual
weeding can be used as a supplement to
other types of weed management practices.
Mechanical weed control
Although mechanical weeding is
economical, its scope is sometimes limited.
It does not work in situations where the
physical condition of the soil does not favour
the use of tools or when rice is broadcastseeded
or transplanted randomly.
Chemical weed control
Increased cropping intensity, diversion of the
labour force from agriculture to other
enterprises and the rising trend of wages of
agricultural workers have forced farmers
into using herbicides. Scarcity of water for
puddling has resulted in the replacement of
transplanting by direct seeding. In such
situations, the weed problem is more acute.
Use of herbicides is more cost-effective
than manual weeding. However, the largescale
use of herbicides can have a negative
effect on employment, environment and
health. So, herbicides should only be used
as a supplement to other weed control
practices.
Integrated method of weed control
The integrated method of weed control
involves the use of more than one method of
weed control. A combination of chemical
and manual weeding is one example of
integrated weed management practice.
Another example in rainfed lowlands is the
use of the traditional cross plough in a
standing crop of direct-seeded rice as a
component of beushening combined with
hand weeding and gap tilling. This is more
cost-effective than two hand weedings.
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