Weed management in rice (Oryza sativa)fallow for enhancement in productivity and profitability of ricezero till toria (Brassica campestris) system

A field experiment was conducted during 201314 and 201415 at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India to develop management practices for rice (Oryza sativa L.)toria (Brassica campestris L.) cropping system in rice fallows. During the rainy season (kharif), 7 crop-establishment methods were tried in rice in randomized block design with 3 replications. During winter (rabi) season zero-till toria was raised on residual soil-moisture conditions. The re- sidual effects of 7 crop-establishment methods imposed in rice and 3 weed-management practices in succeeding toria were tried in split-plot design with 3 replications. Pooled over seasons, transplanting in rice + bispyribac-Na @ 0.02 kg/ha at 21 days after transplanting (DAT) + mechanical weeding at 35 DAT and sequential application of glyphosate 1.0 kg/ha as pre-planting desiccation (PPD) and quizalofop ethyl 0.05 kg/ha as post-emergence re- corded the maximum rice-equivalent yield of 5,792 kg/ha and 2 treatment combinations, viz. transplanting + bispyribac-Na @ 0.02 kg/ha (21 DAT) + mechanical weeding (35 DAT) in rice and glyphosate 1.0 kg/ha (PPD) alone or quizalofop ethyl alone in toria recorded similar system yield. Transplanting in rice + bispyribac-Na @ 0.02 kg/ha at 21 days after sowing (DAS) + mechanical weeding (35 DAS) and glyphosate 1.0 kg/ha in toria gave the maximum system net return of 40,392/ha. Line sowing in direct-seeded rice with pendimethalin as pre-emer- gence spray + hand-weeding (35 DAS) or transplanting in rice with bispyribac-Na @ 0.02 kg/ha as post-emer- gence spray (21 DAS) + mechanical weeding (35 DAS) and glyphosate 1.0 kg/ha (PPD) in toria may be recom- mended for maximizing productivity and profitability.