OAR@ICRISATRice Weed Management in the Asian-Pacific Region: An OverviewA NRaoauthorNChandrasenaauthorHMatsumotoauthorRice yields increased several folds in many areas of the Asian-Pacific region, since the mid-1960s, due to introduction and adoption of new rice cultivars and associated improved production methods including weed management. The most commonly used weed control methods in rice include manual weeding, land preparation, cultural methods, such as manipulating the cultivar grown and planting density, water level management, herbicide application, crop rotations, crop residues use and management. Over the years, these methods have been integrated with preventative weed control (such as clean seeds and clean equipment) and where possible, biological control. Herbicide resistance in rice weeds, shifts in weed floras and climate change pose new and major challenges in the Asian-Pacific region for increasing rice productivity further in a sustainable manner. Despite the research, allelopathic rice accessions or cultivars are yet to make a major impact in rice weed management in on-farm situations. Over the past 50-60 years, a large corpus of knowledge has been developed in Asian-Pacific region on both constraints and opportunities in rice cultivation, including those posed by weeds. Direct-seeding of rice is now favoured over transplanting by farmers in many countries. To sustain productivity and increase rice yields, weed scientists in the region must build on the existing knowledge of ecological and biological attributes of rice weeds and apply well established principles of weed management. Whilst herbicides may continue to play an important role, particularly, in managing specific and serious problems, such as ‘weedy rice’, over-reliance on herbicides is not likely to be beneficial to the Asian-Pacific region in the long run. Instead, attention should be on developing holistic, country-specific, or region-specific rice weed management packages, integrated with cultivar-specific recommendations. The success of better management of weeds in rice-field will depend on recognizing that weeds are but only one major constraint to increasing rice yields and on applying natural resource management principles, with appreciation of the broader socio-economic factors that influence farmers decision making.CerealsRiceWeed ScienceAsia2017Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS)Book Section

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