Weed problems and their management in rice fields of Malaysia: An overview

Abstract

The available literature on weed problems and weed control in rice fields in Malaysia is reviewed and suggestions for future research are included. The problem of weed competition with rice is of great economic importance in the country because it causes a 10–35% reduction in grain yield. About US$4.10 million is spent annually on herbicides for rice alone, and this amounts to approximately 7% of the total expenditure on herbicides. The shift in methods of rice culture from transplanting to direct seeding has magnified the weed problem. The problem of weedy rice is particularly acute in the direct-seeding rice areas. Although a number of sulfonylurea herbicides (e.g. cinosulfuron, metsulfuron, bensulfuron and pyrazosulfuron) have been found to be suitable alternatives to the old herbicide 2,4-D, an integrated weed management program must be developed in order to reduce the problem of herbicide resistance in weeds. Weed control methods that are more friendly to the environment and affordable to farmers must be sought. Weed-competitive and allelopathic rice varieties must be produced. The problem of weeds in rice calls for systematic studies on biotechnological methods of control of weedy rice. Detailed studies on the biology and ecology of notorious rice weeds, particularly Oryza sativa L. (weedy rice), Echinochloa spp., Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees, Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl. and Limnocharis flava (L.) Buch. need to be done in order to formulate successful weed control measures.