Effect of Integrated Weed Management Practices on Microbial Population in Soil, Yield and Economics in Wet Direct Seeded Rice

Abstract

An experiment had been conducted at the Agronomy Farm, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, (C.G.) in the kharif season of 2019, to determine the effects of integrated weed management practices on microbial population in soil, yield and economics in wet direct seeded rice. Pre-emergence herbicides (Oxadiargyl and Pretilachlor) were followed by post-emergence herbicide (Bispyribac-Na), mechanical and manual weeding. Plots treated with oxadiargyl performed better than pretilachlor. When Oxadiargyl was integrated with Hand Weeding (HW) at 35 days after sowing (DAS) gave results which were better than twice HW plot (T10). Oxadiargyl @ 70g/ha at 7-11 DAS fb HW at 30-35 DAS (T4) proved to be superior over all the treatments when yield and economics of wet direct seeded rice was concerned and was statistically at par with twice HW plot (T10) and oxadiargyl @ 70 g/ha at 7-11 DAS fb bispyribac-Na @ 25 g/ha at 30-35 DAS (T2). The unsprayed and two-hand weeding treatments had much lower levels of fungi, actinobacteria, and bacteria than the other weed control methods. The herbicidal treatments had much higher microbial populations at all stages of observation.