In 1976/77 a trial was carried out at the UEPAE/PENEDO experimental field at Penedo, Alagoas, Brasil, with the objective to study the effects of the depth of water on weed control in low land rice. Six water depths (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm), and three rice cultivares, (SML-5/65, Suvale-1-70 and seleção-10), were tested in a randomized split plot design, with the water dephts as main plots and cultivars as subplots. There were four replications. The weeds were identified and its population determined. It was observed that the flooding reduced significantly the weed infestation and depth of 10 cm or more gave a good control. The most common weed was a cyperaceae (Fimbristylis sp), controled when water was deeper than 15 cm. The predominance of weeds varied with the depth of water: up to 15 cm predominated the cyperaceae, and over this level, aquatic plants.
Rice; weeds; control; water management