Agronomic practices and biotechnological methods dealing with the occurrence, dispersion, proliferation and adaptation of weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea)

Abstract

As a major staple, rice is at the center of attention given the current challenges related to food security and agriculture sustainability. From the last three decades, labor and water scarcity has led to a switch from traditional hand transplanting to direct seeding. While the latter presents some advantages, it also fosters weeds that are the major threat to rice production. Weedy rice is considered as the worst agricultural weed because it has a strong competitive ability, and as a congeneric of cultivated rice is very difficult to control. Despite its major adverse effects, weedy rice is thriving in all continents. Our aim is to identify some reasons that might explain the low effectiveness of the weed management strategies. For this purpose, we stress that the weedy rice problem is not unique and then, before designing the adequate weed management strategy, one should distinguish between the occurrence, dispersion, adaptation, and proliferation of weedy rice. In addition, the strategy – agronomical or biotechnological - should be adapted given the gene flow vector, either pollen or seeds.

Keywords:

• Red rice
• integrated weed management
• herbicide-resistant rice varieties
• ferality
• hybridization
• gene flow containment

Acknowledgment

The author wishes to thank the anonymous reviewers. The usual caveat applies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The author confirms that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.