Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during dry season 2011-12 and 2012-13 in clayey loam soil to evaluate the different crop establishment methods and weed management practices in rice. The treatments consisted of three establishment methods in horizontal strips and six weed management practices in vertical strips. The results revealed that machine planting (30 cm x 20 cm) with conoweeding four times at 10 days interval starting from 10 days after transplanting (DAT) registered more tiller production contributing to higher grain yield and found to be economical by giving higher net return and this was followed by application of pretilachlor (0.75 kg a.i. ha^-1 pre-emergence) + bispyribac sodium (20 g a.i. ha^-1 early post-emergence) + conoweeding at 40 DAT.