Integrated weed management approach to improve weed control efficiencies for sustainable rice production in dry-seeded systems

•A study was conducted to evaluate herbicide performance combined with mechanical weeding in dry-seeded rice.•Application of oxadiazon fb fenoxaprop + ethoxysulfuron fb 2,4-D fb mechanical weeding had lowest weed density and biomass.•This treatment had highest grain yield.•Highest weed density and biomass were recorded in the treatment oxadiazon fb MW (28 DAS) and oxadiazon fb 2,4-D.•Results provide sustainable weed management options to farmers growing DSR.

Weed management is the major challenge to the success of dry-seeded rice (DSR). A field study was conducted during the dry seasons of 2013 and 2014 at the International Rice Research Institute to evaluate the performance of herbicides combined with mechanical weeding in DSR. The lowest weed density and biomass were found in the treatment oxadiazon followed by (fb) fenoxaprop + ethoxysulfuron fb 2,4-D fb mechanical weeding (MW) at 42 days after sowing (DAS). However, this treatment had similar weed density and biomass to the treatments oxadiazon fb bispyribac-sodium fb fenoxaprop + ethoxysulfuron fb 2,4-D,oxadiazon fb bispyribac-sodium fb 2,4-D, and oxadiazon fb MW (28 DAS) fb MW (42 DAS). The highest weed density and biomass were recorded in the treatment oxadiazon fb MW (28 DAS) and oxadiazon fb 2,4-D. Higher grain yield (5.3–5.8 t ha−1) was produced in the plots that received oxadiazon fb fenoxaprop + ethoxysulfuron fb 2,4-D fb MW(42 DAS) and oxadiazon fb bispyribac-sodium fb fenoxaprop + ethoxysulfuron fb 2,4-D. The results of this study provide sustainable weed management options to farmers growing DSR.