Impact of herbicides on transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) under an integrated rice–fish–poultry farming system

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) sustains over half the global population, but weed competition remains a major constraint, causing 20–60% yield losses. Hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAT is increasingly impractical due to labour scarcity and cost, highlighting the need for effective weed management strategies within integrated farming systems to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Based on this, a field study was established to determine the influence of herbicides in an integrated Rice + Fish + Poultry operation with regard to the growth and yield parameters of transplanted rice. The study compared unweeded control, hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAT, azolla @ 1 t/ha, and pre-emergence applications of Butachlor (1.25 kg a.i./ha), Metsulfuron-methyl + Chlorimuron-ethyl (20 g a.i./ha), Pretilachlor + Bensulfuron-methyl (660 g a.i./ha), and Pretilachlor + Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl (615 g a.i./ha) at 3 DAT. Of the treatments evaluated, those with a pre-emergent application of pretilachlor (6%) in combination with bensulfuron-methyl (0.6%GR) @ 660 g a.i./ha on 3 DAT (T6) performed the best in terms of yield of grains along with higher yields of meat derived from fish and poultry components. The study concluded that establishing a Rice + Fish + Poultry system and using the pretilachlor + bensulfuron-methyl herbicides, at the recommended rate, will yield better and provide greater economic benefits to the farmers growing rice, fish, and poultry.