Field trials conducted during two crop seasons in the kharif season (1981 and 1982) at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Raipur (M.P.). India, investigated the interrelationship between systems of rice cultivation and weed management. Direct seeding of pre‐germinated rice seed by dibbling (20 x 15 cm) produced yields on a par with the transplanting system. Amongst the different systems of weed management, cultural (hand pulling) methods and butachlor application effectively controlled weeds on plots sown by the broadcasting method. On plots sown using transplanting methods, improved weed control was only achieved using cultural methods. On plots sown by drilling and dibbling, weed control by cultural methods, butachlor and a combination of butachlor and propanil application were equally efficient. The usual practice of planting pre‐germinated rice seed under broadcast without a weed management system significantly reduced productivity.