Common Weeds of Rice and

Their Management
Dindo King M. Donayre
Crop Protection Division
PhilRice CES
Outline of topics
• Definition of weed
• Characteristics of a weed
• Impacts of weeds
• Classification of weeds
• Common weeds of rice
• Weed management reminders
• Weed management options
• Little information
Weeds in biblical passages

“1 That same day, Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, 2 but such large crowds
gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the
shore, 3 and he told them many things in parables. He said, 'Listen, a sower went out to
sow. 4 As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate
them up. 5 Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up at
once, because there was no depth of earth; 6 but as soon as the sun came up they were
scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. 7 Others fell among thorns, and
the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop,
some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Anyone who has ears should listen!”
Matthew 13: 1-9

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Weeds in biblical passages
Ang Talinghaga tungkol sa Manghahasik
“1Nang araw ding iyon, lumabas ng bahay si Jesus at naupo sa tabi ng lawa. 2Napakaraming tao ang
nagtipon sa paligid niya, kaya sumakay siya sa isang bangka at doon umupo, habang ang mga tao
namaʼy nasa dalampasigan. 3Marami siyang itinuro sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng mga talinghaga o
paghahalintulad. Sinabi niya,

“May isang magsasakang naghasik ng binhi. 4Sa kanyang paghahasik, may mga binhing nahulog sa
tabi ng daan. Dumating ang mga ibon at tinuka ang mga binhing iyon. 5May mga binhi namang
nahulog sa mabatong lugar, kung saan walang gaanong lupa. Mabilis na tumubo ang binhi dahil
mababaw ang lupa. 6Ngunit natuyo rin ito nang masikatan ng araw, at dahil hindi malalim ang ugat,
namatay ito. 7May mga binhi namang nahulog sa lupang may matitinik na damo. Lumago ang mga
damo at natakpan ang mga tumubong binhi. 8Ang iba namaʼy nahulog sa mabuting lupa, lumago at
namunga. Ang ibaʼy napakarami ng bunga, ang ibaʼy marami-rami, at ang iba namaʼy katamtaman
lang.13:8 Ang ibaʼy … lang: sa literal, Ang ibaʼy 100, ang ibaʼy 60, at ang iba namaʼy 30. 9Kayong mga
nakikinig, dapat ninyo itong pag-isipan!” Mateo 13: 1-9
Weeds in biblical passages
Ang Talinghaga tungkol sa mga Damo sa Triguhan
“24Muling nagbigay ng talinghaga si Jesus sa kanila, “Ang paghahari ng Dios ay maitutulad sa
kwentong ito: May isang taong naghasik ng mabuting binhi sa kanyang bukid. 25Pero kinagabihan,
habang natutulog ang mga tao, dumating ang kanyang kaaway at naghasik ng masasamang damo at
umalis. 26Nang tumubo ang mga tanim at namunga, lumitaw din ang masasamang damo. 27Kaya
pumunta sa kanya ang kanyang mga alipin at sinabi, ‘Hindi po ba mabubuting binhi lamang ang
inihasik ninyo sa inyong bukid? Paano po ba ito nagkaroon ng masasamang damo?’ 28Sinabi ng may-
ari, ‘Isang kaaway ang may kagagawan nito.’ Tinanong siya ng mga utusan, ‘Gusto po ba ninyong
bunutin namin ang masasamang damo?’ 29Sumagot siya, ‘Huwag, baka mabunot din ninyo pati ang
trigo. 30Hayaan na lang muna ninyong lumagong pareho hanggang sa anihan. Kapag dumating na
ang panahong iyon, sasabihin ko sa mga tagapag-ani na unahin muna nilang bunutin ang
masasamang damo, at bigkisin para sunugin. Pagkatapos, ipapaani ko sa kanila ang trigo at
ipapaimbak sa aking bodega.”
Mateo 13: 24-29

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Weeds in biblical passages

Thorns?
Thistles?
Tare?
Weeds in biblical passages
Thistle Thorn

Tare
Source: google.com
What is a weed?
Definition of weed
• A plant whose virtues have not been discovered (Emerson,
1878)
• A plant growing where it is not desired (Weed Science Society
of America, 1967 as cited Buchholtz in 1967).
• Any plant that is objectionable or interferes with the activities
or welfare of man (Weed Science Society of America, 1989 as
cited by Humburg, 1989, p. 267; Vencill, 2002, p. 462).

• Any plant or vegetation, excluding fungi, interfering with the

objectives or requirements of people (European Weed
Research Society, 1986)
(Source: Zimdahl, RL. 2007. Fundamentals of Weed Science. (3 rd ed.) Academic Press)
Definition of weed

The meaning of weed is subjective:

It is because a one man’s weed is/ could be
another man’s crop.

Bottom line of the meaning:

To help guide anyone to determine which one is a weed
and which is a plant in a certain situation.
Characteristics of a weed
• Prolific seed producer

• Rapid vegetative growth and maturity

• Possess extensive seedbank in the soil

• Ability to germinate and grow in a wide range of

environmental conditions
• Effective means of dispersal and migration
• Posses dormancy
Prolific seed producer

• Echinochloa crus-galli – produces

2,235 seeds/plant (average)

• Cyperus difformis – produces

21,096 seeds/plant (average)

• Hydrolea zeylanica – produces

1,313,000 seeds/plant (average)
What if your field has this level of infestation?
How many seeds must have been in the field?
Characteristics of a weed

• Prolific seed producer

• Rapid vegetative growth and maturity
• Possess extensive seedbank in the soil
• Ability to germinate and grow in a wide range of
environmental conditions
• Effective means of dispersal and migration

• They posses dormancy

Rapid vegetative growth and maturity
Characteristics of a weed

• Prolific seed producer

• Rapid vegetative growth and maturity
• Possess extensive seedbank in the soil
• Ability to germinate and grow in a wide range of
environmental conditions
• Effective means of dispersal and migration
• They posses dormancy
Possess extensive seedbank in the soil
Characteristics of a weed

• Prolific seed producer

• Rapid vegetative growth and maturity
• Possess extensive seedbank in the soil
• Ability to germinate and grow in a wide range of
environmental conditions
• Effective means of dispersal and migration
• They posses dormancy
Why do we control weeds?
Negative impacts of weeds
• Reduce yield of rice by competition on nutrients,
light, and water
Rice Culture Yield loss (mean No. of
%) experiments
Irrigated
Transplanted 48 42
Water seeded 44 1
Direct seeded 55 28
Rain-fed lowland
Dry seeding 74 11
Wet seeding 61 7
Transplanted 51 9
Rain-fed upland
Broadcast or 96 16
drilled

Source: Ampong-Nyarko and De Datta, 1991

 Negative impacts of weeds
• Increase cost of production
Under high infestation, cost of weed control
increases due to additional handweeding or
application of herbicides

• Reduce quality and cost of rice

harvest due to contamination by
weeds seeds

• Serve as alternate hosts of other rice

pests: insects, disease-causing
pathogens, nematodes, snails, birds,
rodents
Importance of weed identification and
classification
Vital requirements for effective weed management:
• Selecting
• Designing
• Planning
• Timing of application
Classification of weeds
A. Morphology
Grasses
• Culms with solid node and hallow internodes
• Leaves arising alternately from nodes
• Leaf sheath wrapped around the culm
• Leaf blade narrow with parallel veins

Internode
Leaf blade
Node
Ligules
Leaf sheath
Classification of weeds

Sedges
• Stems are usually triangular
• Leaf blades have parallel veins but no nodes and internodes
• Has three-ranked leaf arrangements
• Basal portion fused to form tube around the stem
Classification of weeds

Broadleaves
• Leaves have expanded leaf blade and have various shapes
and arrangements of veins
• Venation of leaves are mostly netted though some have
parallel
Classification of weeds

B. Botanical (based on number of seed coats)

Monocots
• 1 cotyledon (first leaf), parallel venation,
floral parts in groups of three and with
fibrous roots

Dicots
• 2 cotyledons, netted leaf venation,
floral parts in groups of 4-5 and w/ tap
root system
Classification of weeds

C. Habitat
• Aquatic – plants that can emerge and grow in very wet or
submerged soils (wet to moist)
• Semi-aquatic – dry land plants with some tolerance to
submergence (dry to wet)
• Terrestrial – dry land plants (moist to dry)

D. Life span
• Annuals – weeds that complete their life cycle in <1 year or 1 cropping
season
• Perennials - weeds that live >2 years
Classification of weeds

E. Photosynthetic activity
C3 weeds
• produce 3-carbon compound
• Prefer environment where temperature and sunlight
intensity are moderate, and water supply is plenty
• Cannot tolerate very high temperature since they are prone
to wasteful biochemical process called photorespiration
• Dominant in ricefields that are under submerged condition

C4 weeds
• Produce 4-carbon compound as the first stable product
• Have physiological adaptations that allow them to thrive in
very hot and drier areas, and where concentrations of
carbon dioxide are limited  
Grasses
Cynodon dactylon
Bakbaka, buku-buku, galud-galud, kawad-kawad, laganit
Digitaria ciliaris
Baludgangan, halos, saka-saka
Echinochloa colona
Dukayang, lau-lau, pulang-pwet
Echinochloa crus-galli
Telebisyon, antena, bayakibok, biyuro, humay-humay, marapagay,
naik, palay-pato
Echinochloa glabrescens
Telebisyon, antena, dawa-dawa, marapagay, paray-paray, humay-
humay
Eleusine indica
Bakis-bakisan, bang-angan, bikad-bikad, bila-bila, palagtiki, parangis,
paragis, sabung-sabungan, sambali
Ischaemum rugosum
Ipot-doron, bika-bika, bulo-bulo, gulong-lapas, lapu-lapu, limba-limba,
sabay, salsaladay, tinitrigo, trigo-trigohan
Leptochloa chinensis
Kuring-kuring, marapagay, maroy-paroy, salay-maya, palay-maya
Oryza sativa L. (weedy rice)
Halo, lahok, lakay, sabag, weder-weder
Paspalum distichum
Bakbaka, barit, damong-ube, lagitnit, lubid-lubid, malit-kalabaw, ragitnit
Sedges
Cyperus difformis
Baong-baong, bulo-butones, payong-payong, siraw-siraw, treskantos,
tuhog-dalag, ubod-ubod
Cyperus iria
Payong-payong, siraw-siraw, taga-taga
Cyperus rotundus
Barsanga, mutha, sudsud
Fimbristylis miliacea
Bungot-bungot, buntot-pusa, gumi, siraw-siraw, sirisibayas,
sumpana-balik
Broadleaves
Aeschynomene indica
Makahiyang-lalaki
Alternanthera sessilis
Lupo, bonga-bonga, bilanamanut
Ammannia coccinea
Amaranthus spinosus
Amaranthus spinosus
Commelina benghalensis
Alikbangon, gatilang, kulasi
Commelina diffusa
Alikbangon, gatilang, kulasi
Eclipta prostrata
Higis-manok, tultulisan, tinta-tinta
Hydrolea zeylanica
Kangkong-kangkungan, garampingat, lupo-lupo,
Ipomoea aquatica
Kangkong
Ipomoea triloba
Ludwigia adscendens
Kangkong-dapa
Ludwigia hyssopifolia
Kahoy-kahoy, malapako, tina-tina
Ludwigia octovalvis
Kahoy-kahoy, malapako, tina-tina

L. hyssopifolia
L. octovalvis
Monochoria vaginalis
Gabi-gabi, gabi-gabihan, lapa-lapa
Pistia stratiotes
Kiapo, kiyapo, water lily, luluang
Sphenoclea zeylanica
Balabalanob, burat-aso, mais-mais, silisilihan, ukim-ukim
Trianthema portulacastrum
Tabtabukol
Weed management reminders
• Timing of weed control application is essential to
reduce yield losses due to weeds

• Successful weed management requires knowledge

of life history, habits and growth requirements of
weeds, how they react to environmental changes,
how they adapt to different habitat, and how they
respond to cultural practices and control methods.

• Basic information on existing farmers’ weed

management practices is also a requirement.
Weed management reminders

• A completely weed-free field is not the aim of sound

weed management because it is impossible, costly and
can contribute to imbalance of rice-agroecosystem.

• The aim of sound weed management is to remove

weeds in periods where they can cause significant yield
reduction, and preserve weeds for ecological purposes
 Weed management reminders
Rice plants should be free from weeds at germination to
booting stages because these are their weakest periods when
competing with weeds for nutrients, sunlight, and water.

No weeds allowed

Germination to Seedling Tillering Stem elongation to Heading to Milking to dough Maturity

emergence panicle initiation to flowering
booting
Weed management options
Weed management options

1. Use cleaned/high quality seeds

Weed management options

PalayCheck System
Key Check 1:
Use high quality seeds of a recommended variety

• Relatively pure
• Ensures viable seeds
• Full and uniform in size
• 10-15% yield increase
Weed management options

2. Good land preparation

• Helps control weeds by
burying under the soil,
separating shoots from roots,
encouraging germination of
dormant seeds, desiccating
shoots, and exhausting
carbohydrate reserves of
perennial weeds.
Weed management options

PalayCheck System
Key Check 2:
No high and low soil spots after final levelling
Weed management options

3. Practice field sanitation

• Keeping the seedling nurseries,
irrigation canals, and field bunds
clean and weed-free helps
prevent entries of volunteer weed
seeds and asexual propagules
into the fields.

• Using clean equipment also helps

prevent further contamination in
the field.
Weed management options

4. Practice good water management

• This helps suppress or inhibit weed growths in the field
especially when applied at the right time and level.
Weed management options

5. Do manual weeding
• This is basically handweeding and
may involve the use of small hand
tools like sickles and bolos.

• This technique is very effective and

efficient in removing weeds that grow
within rows and hills of rice.

• It is also effective in preventing the

spread of resistant weed biotypes by
pulling the whole weed plant or by
removing the inflorescence that
carries the weed seeds.
Weed management options

5. Do manual weeding
Disadvantages:
• Extremely tedious and time
consuming
•Requires more weeders
• Costly when applied in larger fields

• Difficult to implement if not familiar

with weed seedlings from rice
seedlings at early stage of growth of
the crop (direct-seeded rice).
 Weed management reminders
If you are a seed grower, remove mature weeds bearing seeds
to avoid contamination and reduction on quality of harvested
grains
No weeds allowed to avoid competition Mature weeds with seeds should be removed

Germination to Seedling Tillering Stem elongation to Heading to Milking to dough Maturity

emergence panicle initiation to flowering
booting
Weed management options

6. Do mechanical weeding
• This technique is best
accomplished in straight row-
planted rice plants using a
rotary weeder.

• Growths of weeds are

suppressed by cutting,
trampling; and burying weeds
and plant parts into the soil.
Weed management options

6. Do mechanical weeding
Advantages:
• Requires less time than manual weeding
• Lower cost than manual weeding

Disadvantages:
• Inability to control weeds growing close to
crop plants
• Cannot be used effectively when the soil
is too dry or too wet
• Improper use can damage the stems and
roots of rice plants
Weed management options

7. Use biological control

• This approach involves the deliberate use of beneficial
organisms to inhibit weed growth or reduce its population
to a level where yield of rice is not affected. 

Advantages
• No pesticide contamination
• Safe to humans and animals, and the environment
• Perfect for organic rice farming

Disadvantages
• Efficacy cannot be seen immediately
• Biocon agents are host-specific (generally targets only
one weed)
Examples of biocon agents

• Metallic colored beetles eating Ludwigia (Altica sp.)

Examples of biocon agents

• Alternaria alternata f.sp. sphenoclea causing leaf blight disease to

Sphenoclea zeylanica
Examples of biocon agents
• Use of Azolla to suppress growth of different weeds
Weed management options

8. Use herbicides
• Herbicides are synthetic chemicals
that are used to suppress growth or
eradicate weeds

Advantages:
• Easy to apply and effect is fast
• Convenient to use

Disadvantages:
• Negative impacts on the environment
and health of farmers
• Triggers development of weed
resistance

Must: Applying the right herbicide at the right time, right dose
and a right way are very important
Classification of herbicide

Time of herbicide application

Pre-plant – any herbicide applied to weeds before the crop is sown
(ex. glyphosate, paraquat)

Pre-emergence – any herbicide applied before the emergence of

the weeds or crops (ex. pretilachlor, butachlor,
pendimethalin)

Post-emergence – any herbicide applied after emergence of weeds

and crops (ex. Cyhalofop-butyl, 2,4-D, MCPA,
bispyribac –sodium)
Classification of herbicide

Method of application
Foliar applied – herbicides sprayed directly on the leaves (post-em).
Soil applied – these are herbicides sprayed on the soil surface where
germinating weed seeds are the primary targets (pre-em).

Mode of action
 Contact – herbicides applied to foliage and kill plant tissues at the site
or very close to the site of contact
- non-systemic/ not translocated
- (Paraquat)

Non-contact herbicides – herbicides move within the plant

- systemic/ translocated
- (Glyphosate)
Classification of herbicide
According to selectivity
Selective – herbicides that kill or stunt some plants with little or
no injury to others (propanil, cyhalofop butyl).
Non-selective – herbicides that are toxic to all plants
(glyphosate, paraquat).

Based on types of weeds they control

Grass herbicide – for control of grasses
Sedge herbicide – for control of sedges
Broad-leaved herbicide – for broadleaf weeds
Information
What are the most common and dominant
weeds of rice in the Philippines?
Dominant grasses in irrigated-lowland ricefields
of the Philippines

Echinochloa species Ischaemum rugosum

Leptochloa chinensis
Dominant sedges in irrigated-lowland ricefields
of the Philippines

Fimbristylis miliacea Cyperus iria

Cyperus difformis
Dominant broadleaves in irrigated-lowland
ricefields of the Philippines

Sphenoclea zeylanica Monochoria vaginalis

Ipomoea aquatica
Ludwigia hyssopifolia
Dominant grass in rainfed ricefields of the
Philippines

Echinochloa colona
Dominant sedge in rainfed ricefields of the
Philippines
Cyperus rotundus

Cyperus difformis
Dominant broadleaves in rainfed ricefields of the
Philippines

Amaranthus Ageratum conyzoidez

Trianthema portulacastrum Ipomoea triloba

What are the most commonly used weed management
techniques by Filipino farmers?
What are the most common used weed management
techniques by Filipino farmers?

Handweeding Herbicide application

Do you know?

2,4-D – first synthetic herbicide developed

– developed in early 1940s
- thought to have the potential as plant growth regulators since
it distorts plant growth and even kills plants when used at
higher doses than growth regulating doses.

Name derived from its chemical structure:

2,4-Dichlophenoxy acetic acid
What are the similarities and differences
between 2,4-D ester and amine?
2,4-D ester 2,4-D amine
Both are effective when applied at the right amount, time, and
target weed
• Has higher vapor pressure • Has low vapor pressure
• Volatilize quickly in hot, dry • Do not volatilized quickly in
weather conditions hot, dry weather conditions
• Display more activity on plants • Water soluble and less
(hotter) because it is more efficient at moving from the
soluble in the plant’s cuticle leaf surface, across the cuticle,
• More absorb by plants and into the leaf
• Less absorb by plants
• More prone to cause injury on • Less prone to cause injury on
crops crops
Dindo King M. Donayre
Senior Science Research Specialist/Scientist I
Crop Protection Division, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya,
Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija
Email add: dkm.donayre@phillrice.gov.ph; dindoking08@gmail.com