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Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Weed Science and Weed Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2021) | Viewed by 44656

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Vidotto

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Interests: weed biology; weed management; environmental fate of herbicides; invasive alien species; crop-weed interactions

Dr. Silvia Fogliatto

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, I-10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Interests: weed biology; seed germination; crop-weed interactions; weed management; herbicide resistance; sustainable use of herbicides; rice cultivation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rice is a staple food for the majority of the world population and thus increasing and maintaining high yield is necessary. Weeds are one of the main constraints to rice productivity and their control mainly relies on herbicides. Overuse of herbicides, often having the same modes of action, has led to the occurrence of resistant weeds. Recently, the introduction of rice varieties tolerant to certain classes of herbicides has permitted the control of weeds in post-emergence without harming the crop, even though it has further increased resistance problems. Rice is often cultivated as monocropping in many areas and this can increase environmental pollution and reduce weed diversity. Weedy rice (Oryza sativa) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa spp.) are the most troublesome weeds for rice cultivation. Besides herbicides, different cultural and mechanical techniques are used to control these weeds, such as the adoption of a false seedbed, crop rotation, cover crops, etc. Abiotic stresses (i.e., salinity, extreme temperatures), which are becoming more important because of climate change, can affect rice growth but can also influence weed dynamics.

This Special Issue welcomes original papers and reviews related to weed biology, ecology, and all the topics connected to weed management in rice.

Dr. Francesco Vidotto
Dr. Silvia Fogliatto
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Weedy rice
Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa spp.)
Herbicide resistance
Integrated weed management
Cover crops
Rice varieties
Abiotic stresses (salinity, extreme temperatures…)
Environmental fate of herbicides
Mechanical weed control
Invasive alien weeds

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Survey of Weed Management Practices in Direct-Seeded Rice in North-West Cambodia

by Robert Martin, Sokunroth Chhun, Sophea Yous, Ratha Rien, Chariya Korn and Pao Srean

Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 498; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030498 - 6 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2452

Abstract

Two-hundred rice farming households from eight lowland rice villages in North-West Cambodia were surveyed in 2020 to determine changes in farmers’ knowledge, weed management practices and weed seed contamination in seed kept for sowing. The major yield constraints cited by farmers were lack of water, inability to manage water and competition by weeds. Water shortages result in reduced crop establishment, non-optimal herbicide application timing and poor weed control. Reduced tillage, drill planting and use of pre-emergence herbicides can improve weed management. The adoption of drill planting improves crop establishment and enables the use of pre-emergence herbicides. Possible reasons for changes in weed problems include the change to a two-crop rice system in the wet season and spread of seeds by harvesting machines. The main weed seed contaminants of rice seed kept for sowing were Echinochloa crus-galli, E. colona, Fimbristylis miliacea, Ischaemum rugosum and Melochia corchorifolia. F. miliacea was the only species effectively removed by village cleaning methods. Although prevalent in rice fields, Cyperus. iria with <0.2 seeds per 500 g and Leptochloa chinensis with nil contamination were insignificant contaminants of seed samples. The majority of farmers in the study area are relying on repeated use of a narrow range of post-emergence herbicides, thus leading to increased severity of weed problems in dry direct-seeded rice. Integrated weed management is required to reduce over-reliance on post-emergence herbicides. This will require engagement with the local input supply network to introduce advice on improved weed management and sustainable herbicide use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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19 pages, 1895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Do Crop Rotations in Rice Reduce Weed and Echinochloa spp. Infestations? Recommendations for Integrated Weed Control

by Gabriel Pardo, Ana Isabel Marí, Joaquín Aibar and Alicia Cirujeda

Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030454 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2040

Abstract

The species belonging to the genus Echinochloa represent the main weeds in rice fields worldwide. Heavy soils are especially appropriate for this crop that is often grown in monoculture. A drought period in 2012 impeded farmers from sowing rice in some parts of the region of Aragon (northeastern Spain) and, unusually, they seeded alternative crops such as winter cereal, fescue (Festuca arundinacea), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and lucerne (Medicago sativa). A total of 20 fields were selected, in which rice had been grown in monocrop until 2011 and several crop sequences were established afterwards; weed vegetation was recorded in spring, summer and autumn 2014-16 to find out if the crop rotations reduced weed infestations. Winter cereal and fescue were the crops with the highest soil cover; ryegrass and lucerne had difficulties in installation probably due to the heavy soil textures. Echinochloa spp. plants were found in the winter cereal stubble after having grown fescue for the previous two years and rice before that; in the forage fields, small plants of earing Echinochloa spp. adapted to mowing were detected. Recommendations for Integrated Weed Management that arise from the observations are ploughing the winter cereal stubble before seed shed of the emerged Echinochloa plants, assuring a high density of the forage crops, and efficient herbicide control in rice fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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17 pages, 5252 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aeschynomene spp. Identification and Weed Management in Rice Fields in Southern Brazil

by Matheus B. Martins, Dirceu Agostinetto, Silvia Fogliatto, Francesco Vidotto and André Andres

Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030453 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2939

Abstract

In 2002, a survey carried out in rice paddies in the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state reported the occurrence of nine species of jointvetch (Aeschynomene). Due to their semi-aquatic habit, some species adapted to irrigated rice fields, which led to their being considered the worst broadleaf weed in RS. Although farmers have successfully implemented weed management practices, Aeschynomene plants have reportedly escaped chemical control. This study aims to identify the species of Aeschynomene that occur in rice fields in RS and to evaluate the reasons why escapes are occurring. A survey was carried out by collecting mature seeds from individual adult plants. A questionnaire on the management practices employed in each field was administered to 54 farmers and 18 extension agents, each of whom was responsible for one of the surveyed rice fields. This survey found four species of Aeschynomene are present in rice fields in RS: A. denticulata, A. indica, A. rudis, and A. sensitiva. The results suggest that the explanation for escapes may lie in the management practices adopted by farmers, which are focused on the control of weedy grasses. Escapes are also associated with problems such as the lack of irrigation uniformity and out-of-stage, late herbicide applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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9 pages, 1129 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Emergence of Echinochloa sp. in Flooded Rice Systems

by Francisco A. P. Goulart, Renan R. Zandoná, Maicon F. Schmitz, André R. Ulguim, André Andres and Dirceu Agostinetto

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1756; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111756 - 12 Nov 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1672

Abstract

Barnyard grass (Echinochloa sp.) is one of the main rice weeds. Knowledge of its emergence can support management measures. The present study models barnyard grass emergence at different flooded rice sowing periods. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the hydrothermal time model in estimating barnyard grass emergence is analyzed. Field emergence was monitored three times a week during two sowing times (October and November) and two growing seasons (2017/18 and 2018/19), in rice sown and unsown areas. Data were converted to cumulative emergence based on total seedlings. Soil temperature and moisture data were used to determine hydrothermal time. The sowing in October led to a continuous emergence of barnyard grass, while the sowing in late November led to different emergence rates. The highest emergence rates of barnyard grass occur in the first sowing time. The hydrothermal time model is adequate to estimate barnyard grass emergence in both sowing times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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19 pages, 13595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recurrent Selection by Herbicide Sublethal Dose and Drought Stress Results in Rapid Reduction of Herbicide Sensitivity in Junglerice

by Lariza Benedetti, Gulab Rangani, Vívian Ebeling Viana, Pâmela Carvalho-Moore, Edinalvo Rabaioli Camargo, Luis Antonio de Avila and Nilda Roma-Burgos

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111619 - 22 Oct 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3708

Abstract

Echinochloa colona (junglerice) is a problematic global weed for many crops, primarily controlled with herbicides. Drought stress alters the overall plant physiology and reduces herbicide efficacy. This research aimed to study the joint effect of drought stress (DS) and recurrent selection with sublethal dose of herbicide on adaptive gene expression and herbicide efficacy on E. colona. Three factors were evaluated: (A) E. colona generation (G0, original population from susceptible standard; G1 and G2, progenies of recurrent selection); (B) herbicide treatment (florpyrauxifen-benzyl, 0.25×; glyphosate, 0.125×; quinclorac, 0.125× the recommended dose; and nontreated check); (C) DS (50% and 100% field capacity). Recurrent exposure to sublethal herbicide dose, combined with drought stress, favors the selection of plants less susceptible to the herbicide. Upregulation of defense (antioxidant) genes (APX: ascorbate peroxidase), herbicide detoxification genes (CYP450 family: cytochrome P450), stress acclimation genes (HSP: heat-shock protein, TPP: trehalose phosphate phosphatase, and TPS: trehalose phosphate synthase), and genes related to herbicide conjugation (UGT: UDP glucosyltransferase) in the G2 population was significant. Recurrent exposure to sublethal herbicide dose under drought stress reduces junglerice sensitivity to herbicide, seemingly due to “imprinted” upregulation of metabolic and protection genes in response to these stresses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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16 pages, 2103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Management of Weeds in Direct-Seeded Rice in Cambodia

by Robert Martin, Bunna Som, Joel Janiya, Ratha Rien, Sophea Yous, Sokunroth Chhun and Chariya Korn

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1557; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101557 - 13 Oct 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3429

Abstract

The objective of this work was to determine the value of improved establishment methods and herbicide applications as alternatives to high seeding rates to improve weed suppression in rice. Field experiments were carried out in 2010 and 2011 to determine optimal seeding rates and seeding methods with and without weed competition in wet-seeded rice. Under wet seeding conditions, drum seeding at 80 kg ha⁻¹ was the most profitable treatment for both weed-free and unweeded rice. Although pre-emergence herbicides are beginning to be adopted in wet-seeded rice, they are seldom used in dry direct-seeded rice in Cambodia. Experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019 to test crop tolerance and the efficacy of butachlor, oxadiazon, pendimethalin and pretilachlor applied post-sowing and pre-emergence to dry direct-seeded rice. Oxadiazon and butachlor, with the option for a post-emergence herbicide, provided effective weed control and a high grain yield in dry direct-seeded rice. Pretilachlor did not effectively control weeds under dry seeding conditions. Although pendimethalin exhibited good weed control, crop damage was a risk in poorly prepared seedbeds which typify Cambodian rice systems. With an effective integrated weed management strategy, it might be possible to safely reduce seeding rates below 80 kg ha⁻¹ using drum or drill seeding machines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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9 pages, 710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Occurrence of Resistance to ALS Inhibitors in European Cyperus esculentus L.: Characterisation and Implications for Management

by Laura Scarabel, Silvia Farinati and Maurizio Sattin

Agronomy 2020, 10(8), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10081133 - 4 Aug 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2568

Abstract

Yellow nutsedge (C. esculentus) is a perennial geophyte and invasive weed which is very difficult to control in rice and other irrigated row crops. Acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors are the most commonly used herbicides to control sedges in rice. Failure to control C. esculentus was recently reported in a rice field in north-western Italy. The resistance status of this C. esculentus population was determined through a whole-plant bioassay. The mechanism underlying the resistance was elucidated, and the available chemical and non-chemical control options were discussed. The population proved to be resistant to halosulfuron and azimsulfuron at the recommended field rate. The ALS trancripts amplified from resistant and susceptible plants revealed the presence of a Pro₁₉₇-to-Arg amino acid substitution in resistant plants, indicating that the resistance mechanism is target-site mediated. This is the first confirmation of herbicide resistance in C. esculentus in Europe. Resistance management should be based on an integrated approach, through the combination of diversified cultural and agronomic practices that can limit its spread and propagation through tubers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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Review

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12 pages, 1229 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

An Overview of Rice Cultivation in Spain and the Management of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds

by Diego Gómez de Barreda, Gabriel Pardo, José María Osca, Mar Catala-Forner, Silvia Consola, Irache Garnica, Nuria López-Martínez, José Antonio Palmerín and Maria Dolores Osuna

Agronomy 2021, 11(6), 1095; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061095 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6326

Abstract

Spain is the second highest rice-producing country in the European Union, with approximately 105,000 ha used to grow this crop. The major rice-producing regions in Spain are Andalusia, Extremadura, Catalonia, and Valencia, followed by Aragon and Navarre. The main soil texture throughout Spanish rice areas is silty clay loam, with alkaline soils (pH > 7.5)—except in the Extremadura area (pH = 5.5–6)—and a low organic matter content. Water quality in terms of salinity is acceptable, although in some coastal rice areas salinity issues occasionally appear to be a determining factor for high yield achievement. According to a survey carried out on farmers and technicians, the most problematic weeds found in rice crops today in Spain are Echinochloa spp., Leptochloa spp., and Cyperus difformis. Most of the currently authorized herbicides can be classified according to two modes of action: ALS-inhibiting and ACCase-inhibiting. Repeated field applications of herbicides with the same mode of action have resulted in the selection of herbicide-resistant weeds. At present, resistance has been confirmed in different regions of Spain to ALS inhibitors in Echinochloa spp., Leptochloa spp., and Cyperus difformis, and to ACCase inhibitors in Echinochloa spp. and Leptochloa spp. The mechanism of resistance in these species is a mutation in the target site of these herbicides. Several mutations have been found in the ALS gene, both in Echinochloa spp. and Cyperus difformis, distributed in the different rice-growing regions considered in this work. ACCase gene mutations have been mainly found in Leptochloa spp. individuals from Extremadura and Valencia. These different mutations have resulted in different patterns of cross-resistance to ALS- and ACCase-inhibiting herbicides. It is likely that the repeated use of these two modes of action in rice will result in the evolution of more resistant weed populations. The possible availability of new herbicides with alternative modes of action in a short space of time seems very limited, suggesting the need for a more appropriate use of the available alternative strategies (crop rotation, dry sowing, manual weeding, etc.). This work presents a review of the main characteristics of rice cultivation in Spain, emphasizing the current problems in this crop and the management of herbicide-resistant weeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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22 pages, 1337 KiB

Open AccessReview

How Can Weedy Rice Stand against Abiotic Stresses? A Review

by Silvia Fogliatto, Aldo Ferrero and Francesco Vidotto

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1284; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091284 - 29 Aug 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5206

Abstract

Weedy rice is one of the most common weeds in rice cultivation in many rice areas throughout the world and it is able to cause significant yield reductions. Weedy rice is characterized by a high biological diversity that permits different populations to be identified on the basis of their morphological and physiological traits. This variability contributes to its success in different environments and allows different abiotic stresses, which are intensified by climate change, to be faced. Taller plants, enhanced tillering, seed shattering and the presence of red pericarp, variable hull coloration and awn morphology, linked to a deeper seed dormancy, are some of the traits that help weedy rice to spread in changing environments. The higher phenotypic plasticity and genetic variability of weedy rice make it more able to cope with temperature variations, intermittent water availability, soil salinity, drought conditions and increased CO₂ concentrations than cultivated rice. As these abiotic stresses will become more frequent in the future, weedy rice competitiveness may be higher, with a spread of infestations. Thus, the control of weedy rice should be based on an integration of different preventive and agronomic techniques, a sensible use of herbicides and the use of suitable rice varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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19 pages, 826 KiB

Open AccessReview

Weed Management in Dry Direct-Seeded Rice: A Review on Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Rice Production

by Kapila Shekhawat, Sanjay Singh Rathore and Bhagirath S. Chauhan

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1264; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091264 - 26 Aug 2020

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 13343

Abstract

Rice cultivation always remains significant for food and livelihood security. The predictions of increasing water deficiency under a changing climate and escalating labor shortages in agriculture have brought a paradigm swing in rice cultivation from conventionally flooded transplanting to direct-seeded rice (DSR). DSR cultivation can potentially address the concerns of diminishing natural resources and mounting production costs in the establishment of transplanted rice. The transition towards DSR saves water, reduces duration to maturity as well as labor required, and reduces negative environmental footprints. Despite all these recompenses, the potential yield losses through enormous weed menaces under DSR remains a challenge and may reduce yield by up to 50%. In this review, we examine the extent of weed infestation, weed shift and the losses in dry DSR (DDSR). Various regional and global scientific efforts made under DDSR have been assessed in the present and the smart weed-management strategies suggested can be adopted after scrutiny. Integration of different weed management approaches, namely prevention, cultural, mechanical, and chemical, have been discussed, which can pave the way for worldwide adoption of DDSR, especially in South Asia. In Asia, 22% of the acreage of total rice cultivation is under DSR and the region-specific integration of these weed-management approaches might reduce herbicide use in these areas by up to 50%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biology and Integrated Management of Rice Weeds)

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