Background: A field trial was carried out during the Navarai season (Jan - Apr) of 2025 at the wetland Farm of SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, located in Baburayanpettai, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India to assess the effect of integrated weed management strategies in drum-seeded rice. 
 
Methods: The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) consisting of ten treatments with three replications. The treatments comprised combinations of Bensulfuron methyl + Pretilachlor (PE), Trifamone + Ethoxysulfuron (EPoE), Florpyrauxifen-benzyl + Cyhalofop-butyl (POE), in combination of hand weeding and power weeding. 
 
Result: Findings indicated that applying PE Bensulfuron methyl + Pretilachlor (660 g/ha) followed by POE Florpyrauxifen-benzyl + Cyhalofop-butyl (150 g/ha) significantly reduced weed density, enhancing weed control efficiency and growth parameters like plant height, tiller count and panicle characteristics and also resulted in the highest straw yield (7215 kg/ha) and grain yield (5,550 kg/ha). The research concludes that employing combination of pre and post emergence herbicides represents a viable approach for effective weed control and enhanced productivity in drum-seeded rice. 
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Assessment of Weed Dynamics and Crop Response Through Integrated Weed Management Strategies in Drum Seeded Rice

<div>Background: Finger millet production and productivity is lowering in India due to the growth of different weed species. Weeds are the prime yield limiting biotic constraints in finger millet. Therefore, the present investigation has been carried out to find out the suitable weed management practices on the performance of finger millet. 
 
Methods: In this regard, a field experiment was carried out during Kharif, 2018 at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India to evaluate the different weed management practices for transplanted finger millet under sodic soil. The experiment comprised of ten weed management practices with different herbicidal treatments viz., pre emergence (PE) application of pendimethalin at 750 g/ha, oxyfluorfen at&nbsp;50 g/ha, bensulfuron methyl at 60 g/ha + pretilachlor at 600 g/ha, early post emergence (EPOE) application of bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha, PE pendimethalin at 750 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha, PE oxyfluorfen at 50 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha, PE bensulfuron methyl at 60 g/ha + pretilachlor at 600 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha, PE oxyfluorfen at 50 g/ha fb hand weeding (HW) at 30 DAT, HW at 15 and 30 DAT and unweeded control (UWC) in transplanted finger millet.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The results revealed that lower nutrient removal by weeds, higher nutrient uptake by crop and yield parameters viz., productive tillers/m2, earhead weight and total grains/earhead were registered in application of PE bensulfuron methyl at 60 g/ha + pretilachlor at 600 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha. The highest grain and straw yields were also registered in application of PE bensulfuron methyl at 60 g/ha + pretilachlor at 600 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium at 25 g/ha and it was on par with hand weeding at 15 and 30 DAT.</div>

Influence of Weed Management Practices on Nutrient Removal and Performance of Transplanted Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.)

Background: Invasive golden dodder incidence poses a serious threat to rice-fallow pulse agro-ecosystems of Tamil Nadu, reducing crop growth, yield and profitability. Effective chemical weed management strategies are essential to suppress this parasitic weed and sustain pulse productivity in rice fallow systems. 
 
Methods:&nbsp;Field experiments were conducted during the rice fallow summer seasons of 2024 and 2025 (January-March) at ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The experimental field was observed with notable invasion of dicot weed flora golden dodder (Cuscuta chinensis) for the past three years prior to that there was no such incidence. The treatments consisted T1- Pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 1.0 kg ha-1; T2- EPoE application of fluazifop&ndash;p-butyl 11.1% + fomesafen 11.1% @ 250 g ha-1; T3- EPoE application of propaquizafop 2.5% + imazethapyr 3.75% @ 125 g ha-1; T4- EPoE application of clodinafop propargyl 8% + acifluorfen sodium 16.5% @ 185 g ha-1; T5- Weed free and T6- Unweeded control. The green gram cultivar ADT 3 was taken up in the experiment for study. 
 
Result: The EPoE application of fluazifop&ndash;p-butyl 11.1% + fomesafen 11.1% @ 250 g ha-1&nbsp;on 25 DAS resulted in less dry matter production of dodder on 30 DAS (1.86 g m-2) and the same treatment restricted the further growth, establishment and dry matter production of dodder to nil (0.0 g m-2) at 60 DAS. Similarly the same treatment also recorded higher grain yield (710.5 kg ha-1), gross return (49104 ₹ ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.45). Hence, it is recommended that EPoE application of fluazifop&ndash;p-butyl 11.1% + fomesafen 11.1% @ 250 g ha-1&nbsp;on 25 DAS in rice fallow pulse (green gram) for effective golden dodder management and sustaining the productivity and profitability of the agro-ecosystem.

Management of Invasive Golden Dodder (Cuscuta chinensis) in Rice-fallow Pulse Agro-ecosystem of Tamil Nadu Through Chemical Weed Control Practices

<div>Background: Weeds are the major biotic constraint to reduce the rice productivity in direct wet seeded rice. Weed infestation and competition are severe in direct wet seeded rice as compared to transplanted rice, because of the simultaneous growth of both crops and weeds. The yield loss due to weeds varies from 40 to 100 per cent in direct seeded rice. Use of herbicides either singly or in combination with manual or mechanical weeding in puddled direct seeded rice has been highlighted by several workers. Use of alternative herbicides with wide spectrum control of the weeds in direct seeded puddled rice is the need of the present time. The present study aimed to evaluate different weed management practices in direct wet seeded rice under sodic soil. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted during Samba season (Rabi) 2016-17. to evaluate the weed management practices in direct wet seeded rice under sodic soil. The treatments comprised of different combination of weed management practices viz., pre emergence, early post emergence herbicides, mechanical weeding and hand weeding twice were tested. Total weed density and weed dry weight, weed control efficiency, yield parameters and yield of rice were recorded.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Among the different weed management practices, the lowest total weed density, total weed dry weight and higher WCE, yield attributes, grain and straw yields were registered under application of PE pyrazosulfuron ethyl 25 g/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium 25 g/ha. This was followed by application of PE pretilachlor 0.75 kg/ha fb EPOE bispyribac sodium 25 g/ha.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Weed Dynamics and Productivity of Direct Wet Seeded Rice under Different Weed Management Practices</div>

Sedges, resilient weeds from the Cyperaceae family, pose a significant threat to direct-seeded rice cultivation due to their perennial nature and robust propagules, which endure harsh conditions. Their emergence, growth and seed production during fallow periods contribute significantly to seed banks, making their management challenging compared to other weed types. Water levels in paddy fields dictate weed composition, favouring sedges and grasses under saturated conditions but shifting to grass weeds during cropping seasons, influenced by factors like soil conditions and rainfall. Managing sedges requires a multifaceted approach due to their perennial hydrophilic and pro-alkaline nature with extensive propagules. Sedges possessing strong root system with morphological similarities necessitate continuous weed control throughout the cropping season during the critical period ranging from 15 to 60 days after sowing for wet and dry direct-seeded rice. Effective weed management practices proved crucial for minimizing yield losses caused by infestation of Cyperus difformis, Fimbristylis miliacea and Schoenoplectus juncoides by many researchers. Various methods, including cultural practices like stale seedbeds, physical methods like summer tillage, biological approaches such as integrating poultry and chemical interventions like herbicide application, are utilized for sedge management in rice fields. Higher efficacy of ethoxysulfuron for management of majority of sedge weeds in rice has been reported by many workers. However, relying on a single strategy is insufficient to keep sedge populations below the threshold, necessitating a comprehensive and adaptable approach to weed control in rice cultivation.

Ecology and Management of Sedges in Direct-seeded Rice: A Review

The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications and eight weed control treatments viz., weedy check, polythene mulching as pre emergence (PE), pendimethalin30EC (PE), chlorimuron ethyl 9g ha-1as post emergence (POE), quizalofop ethyl 50g ha-1 (POE), imazethapyr 100g ha-1 as early post emergence (EPOE), one hand weeding at 40 days after sowing (DAS) and two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS. The results showed that polythene mulching had the lowest weed dry matter due to effectively suppression of weed emergence. It was followed by twice hand weeding at 20 and 40 days after sowing. Weed index was found to be the highest with weedy check (42.10%) followed by the pre-emergence application of pendimethalin (19.09%). The effect of herbicide applied as pre-emergence was subdued at this belated stage, which may possibly be on account of longer period after application and restricted effective residual period. Plant height, number of pods per plant and grain yield of soybean was found to be highest in the treatments twice hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS as well as polythene mulching. However, the net return and B:C ratio was lower in comparison to imazethapyr and quizalofop ethyl due to higher cost of labour and polythene material respectively. On an average, the application of imazethapyr as early post emergence (3.17) and quizalofop ethyl (3.02) gave significantly highest B:C ratio than the other treatments for soybean.

Effect of weed control practices on weed dynamics, yield and economics of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Background: Uncontrolled weed growth reported to reduce rice yields by 33 to 45%, while manual weeding is labor-intensive, time-consuming and costly. Pre-emergence herbicides prevent weed establishment and post-emergence herbicides target established weeds, offering effective and less costly weed control. However, an integrated approach to weed management is crucial to ensure long-term agricultural sustainability and minimize environmental impacts and weed resistance development. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: An experiment was conducted at Post Graduate Research farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University, Paralakhemundi, Odisha during the kharif season of 2023 in randomized block design with fourteen treatments viz., Pyrazosulfuron ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha at 1-3 DAT(T1), Bispyribac sodium 10%SC @ 250 ml/ha at 25 DAT(T2), Penoxsulam 21.7%SC @ 166 ml/ha at 25 DAT (T3), Metsulfuron methyl 10% + Chlorimuron ethyl 10%WP @ 4 g/ha at 25 DAT (T4), Florpyrauxifen-benzyl 1.31% + Penoxsulam 2.1% @2027ml/ha at 25 DAT (T5), Pyrazosulfuron followed by Bispyribac sodium at 25 DAT (T6), Pyrazosulfuron followed by Penoxsulam at 25 DAT (T7), Pyrazosulfuron followed by Florpyrauxifen-benzyl + Penoxsulam 25 DAT (T8), Pyrazosulfuron followed by Metsulfuron methyl 10%+ Chlorimuron ethyl 10% 25 DAT (T9), Triafamone20%+ Ethoxysulfuron 10% WG@ 225 g/ha at 20 DAT (T10), Pyriftalid 31.0% + Bensulfuron methyl15.7% @375ml/ha 20 DAT (T11), Pyrazosulfuron followed by one hand weeding at 25 DAT (T12), Hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 DAT (T13) and Weedy check (T14) which were replicated thrice. 
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Result: At 30 and 60 DAT, the total weed density and dry weight was significantly low in hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 DAT over all other treatments. At 30 DAT, the weed control efficiency was higher in the treatment Hand weeding twice at 25 and 45 DAT (T13) followed by T8&nbsp;and T12&nbsp;where the efficiency was more than 90%. At 30 DAT, the dry matter was significantly higher with T13&nbsp;and T8 over all other treatments.The grain yield observed with T13&nbsp;was on par with that of T8&nbsp;and T10&nbsp;and significantly superior over all other treatments. For getting higher yield and net returns in transplanted rice, application of T8, T10, or T13&nbsp;is recommended for transplanted rice during kharif season. This paper is aligned with UN SDG 14.

Assessment of Weed Dynamics and Crop Response Through Integrated Weed Management Strategies in Drum Seeded Rice

Influence of Weed Management Practices on Nutrient Removal and Performance of Transplanted Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.)

Management of Invasive Golden Dodder (Cuscuta chinensis) in Rice-fallow Pulse Agro-ecosystem of Tamil Nadu Through Chemical Weed Control Practices

Weed Dynamics and Productivity of Direct Wet Seeded Rice under Different Weed Management Practices

Ecology and Management of Sedges in Direct-seeded Rice: A Review

Effect of weed control practices on weed dynamics, yield and economics of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Pre and Post Emergence Herbicides Influence on Productivity of Transplanted Rice