Integrated use of herbicides to enhance yield and economics of direct-seeded rice

A field study was conducted at Dr. B.S. KKV, Dapoli (Maharashtra) farm in Kharif seasons (2012 to 2015) on rice to evaluate the effect of different herbicide and herbicide combination on yield attributes, yield and economics. Based on pooled analysis, significantly lower dry weight of grasses, sedges and broad-leaved weeds and higher yield attributes and yield were recorded in weed free check (HW at 20, 40, and 60 DAS) followed by pendimethalin as pre-emergence (PE) 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS fb manual weeding at 25–30 DAS and pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS (PE) fb bispyribac-Na 25 g/ha at 20 DAS (3 to 4 leaf stage) fb manual weeding (45 DAS). The highest weed control index (95.00%) was recorded by weed free check (HW at 20, 40, and 60 DAS) followed by pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS fb manual weeding at 25–30 DAS (92.84%) and pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to2 DAS fb bispyribac-Na 25 g/ha at 20 DAS fb manual weeding at 45 DAS (89.87%). The lowest weed index was recorded with the application of pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS fb manual weeding (25–30 DAS) and pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS fb bispyribac-Na 25 g/ha at 20 DAS (3 to 4 leaf stage) fb manual weeding at 45 DAS. The highest net returns with B-C ratio of 1.28 was obtained in the application of pendimethalin 1000 g/ha at 0 to 2 DAS (PE) fb manual weeding (25–30 DAS) followed by weed free check (HW at 20, 40 and 60 DAS).