Effect of crop establishment methods on weed dynamics and productivity of rice under puddled condition

Abstract

To study the effect of different crop establishment methods on weed dynamics, productivity and economics of rice, the experiment was conducted at Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, Jharkhand during kharif season, 2015. Results revealed that conventionally transplanted (31.48 m-2) and drum seeded rice (34.33 m-2) had similar weed density which were significantly lower than rice established through broadcasting of dry seeds (45.18 m-2) and that of sprouted seeds (42.13 m-2) whereas conventional transplanting was significantly 29.4% lower than mechanical transplanting. Conventional transplanting recorded minimum weed dry matter (187.08g/m2) and was significantly lower by 18.5, 15.9 and 15% than broadcasting of sprouted seeds, broadcasting of dry seeds and mechanical transplanting, respectively. Conventional transplanting recorded highest grain and straw yield (4.42 and 6.84, respectively) which was on par with drum seeding of sprouted seeds and mechanical transplanting while B: C ratio (2.34) under drum seeding was significantly higher having edge by 20.6, 23.8, 30 and 55% over broadcasting of sprouted seeds, broadcasting of dry seeds, conventional transplanting, and mechanical transplanting, respectively.