Influence of tillage techniques on rice weed dynamics

Tillage practices may have a significant influence on weed presence in rice fields. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of no tillage practice on the evolution of weed community composition and soil seedbank in rice. The following tillage systems were compared: conventional plowing with water seeding (CPW), no-tillage with water seeding (NTW) and no-tillage with dry seeding (NTD). The study was carried out in 2012-2014 at Crescentino, north-west of Italy, in a rice field divided in nine plots. Weed assessments were done in untreated areas of each plot. The adoption of different tillage systems showed an influence on weed infestations mainly in terms of total weed density with NTW showing the highest and CPW the lowest. The diversity indices highlighted a high diversity in the CPW plots, and the dominance of Echinochloa crus-galli and weedy rice in non-tilled plots. An increasing trend of the weed seed bank density was recorded particularly in NTW.