Use of phytotoxic rice crop residues for weed management

Published source details Pheng S., Olofsdotter M., Jahn G. & Adkins S. (2010) Use of phytotoxic rice crop residues for weed management. Weed Biology and Management, 10, 176-184.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Incorporate plant remains into the soil that produce weed-controlling chemicals Action Link

Incorporate plant remains into the soil that produce weed-controlling chemicals

A greenhouse experiment and a replicated, controlled field trial in 2000-2001 in Cambodia (Pheng et al. 2010) found incorporating rice Oryza sativa crop residue into the soil suppressed weed germination and growth, but also suppressed growth of the following rice crop. Greenhouse pots with amended soil had lower weed germination and establishment than non-amended pots (17-47% vs. 71-75%). In field plots in 2000, rice crop residues reduced the dry weight of barnyardgrass Echinochloa crus-galli by 70-93%, depending on rice variety used. However, the rice crop dry weight was also suppressed by 66-85%. In 2001, a smaller amount of rice crop residue incorporated earlier in the season suppressed barnyardgrass by 21-32%, small umbrella sedge Cyperus difformis 15-23% and water primrose Ludwigia octovalvis 20-32%. Rice dry weight suppression was 1-6%. The field experiment ran in January-March 2000 and 2001. Residues of eight rice varieties were incorporated 0-10 cm deep. In 2000, barnyardgrass or rice was sown one week after 6 kg/plot crop residue was incorporated. In 2001, three weed species and one rice crop were sown two weeks after 4 kg/plot of crop residue. The greenhouse experiment used 16 plant lines and one non-residue control.