Crop establishment methods and weed management practices influence the productivity and profitability of Kharif rice ( Oryza sativa L.) in a hot-humid summer climatic conditions

Exploration of suitable rice establishment coupled with weed management for better productivity and profitability for the farmers of coastal ecology is very important. Concerning this, a field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Main Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India during the Kharif season of 2016 and 2017 to study the growth, yield, and economics in rice under different crop establishment methods and weed management practices. Different rice establishment methods viz . , M 1 : direct-seeded rice, M 2 : wet-seeded rice (WSR), M 3 : non-puddled transplanted rice, M 4 : puddled transplanted rice (PTR) and six different weed management practices including chemical weeding followed by hand weeding (HW), brown manuring, etc. were evaluated. From this study, it was found that the highest panicles m −2 (334 and 340) were recorded in WSR, while PTR resulted in the highest panicle length (24.3 and 24.4 cm) and filled grains per panicle (110 and 114), grain yield (4.72 and 5.03 t ha −1 ) and straw yield (5.76 and 5.82 t ha −1 ) in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Concerning weed management practices, the application of Bensulfuron + Pretilachlor (PE) at 0.660 kg ha −1 followed by HW at 30 days after sowing/ transplanting (DAS/T) recorded the highest panicles m −2 (370 and 391), panicle length (26.1 and 26.3 cm), filled grains/panicle (112 and 123) and grain (5.30 and 5.67 t ha −1 ), straw yield (6.26 and 6.39 t ha −1 ), and profitability during both the years. Concerning profitability, the WSR system was found the best in terms of both net returns and benefit–cost ratio. Hence, from the study, it can be concluded that the rice establishment following WSR coupled with weed management following the application of Bensulfuron + Pretilachlor (PE) at 0.660 kg ha −1 + HW at 30 DAS/T was the best to achieve higher productivity and profitability for the farmers of the region.