EFFECT OF CROP ESTABLISHMENT METHODS AND WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMICS OF WET SEEDED RICE

A field experiment was conducted at Wetland Farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during rabi 2009-2010 to study the effect of crop establishment methods and weed management practices on productivity and economics of drum seeding and direct planting system of rice. The direct planting system method of establishment proved better in terms of reducing weed density, dry weight of weeds and increased plant characters, viz., leaf area index, dry matter production, productive tillers and higher grain yield (11%) more compared to drum seeding method of establishment. Whereas, the drum seeding recorded less cost of cultivation (Rs 16,268) and comparable B: C ratio (2.9). Among weed management practices the pre-emergence application of pretilachlor + safener (sofit) @ 0.45 kg a.i. ha-1 on 3 DAS + cono weeding on 45 DAS was very effective to realize higher weed control efficiency (86%), increased productivity and economics (BC ratio 3.4) and it was comparable with pretilachlor + safener (sofit) @ 0.45 kg a.i. ha-1 on 3 DAS + motorized weeding on 45 DAS which recorded BC ratio (3.3).