Rice weeds attack winter-spring rice plants

All the fields of the 2023-2024 winter-spring crop in Tanh Linh district, from ripe rice, rice in the ear, rice in the ear stage, are being attacked by mixed rice (weedy rice, wild rice, 2-layer rice). Most of the rice varieties produced in the crop are infected with mixed rice. The most seriously affected areas are in the communes of Dong Kho, Duc Binh, Duc Thuan and Lac Tanh town.

According to records, in the Lon field in Lac Tanh town, mixed rice is present in most of the rice fields in the flowering stage. Mr. Nguyen Manh, who has a production area of 5 sao of rice in this winter-spring crop, said: In previous years, there was still mixed rice but very little, but this winter-spring crop, mixed rice appeared a lot. The family has tried to remove mixed rice twice but it has not been completely gone and is currently continuing to remove mixed rice for the third time.

In Dong Kho commune, where many rice fields are grown in cooperation with enterprises, there is also mixed rice. In these cooperative fields, the rice is ripe and ready for harvest, and the enterprises are continuing to hire workers to cut off the mixed rice.

According to farmers, rice fields that were contaminated with mixed rice in previous years are now often contaminated, but many fields that were previously free of mixed rice are still contaminated. Because the current price of rice seeds is too high, fluctuating around 20,000 VND/kg, some farmers buy seeds from unreliable places and use them, causing a lot of mixed rice. From there, farmers have determined that one of the main causes of mixed rice is the seeds. Fields that are heavily contaminated with mixed rice will reduce productivity and reduce the quality of rice.

Mr. Mai Tri Man - Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tanh Linh district said: In the 2023 - 2024 winter-spring crop, the whole district will produce a total area of 11,552 hectares, of which 9,019 hectares will be planted with rice, the main rice varieties used are OM4900, OM5451, OM6976, OM7347, OM2395, ML202. Currently, about 2,000 hectares of rice are being harvested, the remaining rice area is in the flowering and heading stages. Currently, many winter-spring rice areas are contaminated with mixed rice. The initial cause was determined to be mixed rice appearing on different rice seed sources, especially in the fields where weedy rice previously grew, this winter-spring crop grew even more, and in the high fields due to inadequate water conditions and drought, weedy rice grew more and developed faster. Weedy rice seeds fall easily, creating a source of residual seeds in the soil and spreading to the next crop, so fields that are not plowed thoroughly and weeded before sowing will grow weedy rice faster. Harvesters are not cleaned properly after harvesting from rice fields infected with weedy rice to uninfected fields, which is the reason why weedy rice exists in the soil. Many farmers buy seeds from low-quality units at low prices... therefore, weedy rice is already present in the seeds when sowing.

To protect crops, limit and control weedy rice from attacking and causing damage on a large scale and spreading to the next crop, the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued a document advising the District People's Committee to direct localities to direct farmers to cut weedy rice flowers when they first bloom and destroy them, not to throw them indiscriminately on the banks of fields and canals, to avoid spreading. Clean the harvester before harvesting to avoid spreading weedy rice seeds from weedy rice-infected areas to uninfected areas. After harvesting winter-spring rice, soak the fields with water, plow the fields to attract weedy rice to grow and use measures to destroy them before planting the summer-autumn crop. Choose rice varieties from trusted addresses. At the same time, link production and product consumption with businesses to ensure compliance with production processes to bring higher quality rice productivity.

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