Performance of Basmati Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Under Various Moisture Regimes and Moisture Conservation Techniques

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Performance of Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) Under Various Moisture Regimes and Moisture Conservation Techniques” was carried out at Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut (U.P.) during kharif season of 2018 and 2019. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with a combination of 3 main and 6 sub factor treatments, replicated thrice. The main plot factor consists of the moisture regimes viz., irrigation as continuous flooding (CF), irrigation at field capacity (FC) and irrigation at 25% depletion of available soil moisture (DASM) and sub plot factors consists of six moisture conservation techniques viz., control, wheat residues @5t/ha, Pusa hydrogel @7.5 kg/ha, seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescencs (PF 6), Pseudomonas fluorescencs (PF 2) and Trichoderma harzianum (IRRI 1) @ 4g/kg seed. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, medium in available nitrogen and potassium with low in organic carbon content and phosphorus. Basmati rice variety PB-1509 was transplanted on 25th July, 2018 and 23rd July, 2019 and harvested on 8th November, 2018 and 5th November, 2019 during first year and second year, respectively. Crop received a total rainfall of 898.2 and 614.5 mm during 2018 and 2019, respectively. Results revealed that among different moisture regimes, the maximum values of growth and developmental parameters, yield attributes and yield were recorded in the continuous flooding followed by at field capacity treatment in transplanted basmati rice. Among moisture conservation techniques, maximum growth and developmental parameters, yield and yield attributes were recorded with wheat residues @ 5 t/ha treatment followed by Pusa hydrogel @ 7.5 kg/ha treatment and minimum were recorded in control treatment followed by seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescencs (PF 2) @ 4g/kg. Highest nutrient content in grains and straw and their uptake by rice was recorded in continuous flooding of moisture regimes and wheat residues @ 5 t/ha treatment of moisture conservation techniques. The highest available nutrients were found in 25% DASM treatment of moisture regimes and wheat residues @ 5 t/ha treatment of moisture conservation techniques. The maximum soil moisture content after transplanting of rice was recoded in continuous flooding of moisture regimes and Pusa hydrogel @ 7.5 kg/ha treatment, which was at par with wheat residues @ 5 t/ha treatment of moisture conservation techniques. The maximum water use efficiency was recorded in the treatment of 25% DASM followed by field capacity treatment of moisture regimes and wheat residues @ 5 t/ha treatment followed by Pusa hydrogel @ 7.5 kg/ha. Rice irrigated at FC resulted into maximum net return and B:C ratio, while among MCT wheat residues @ 5 t/ha fetched highest gross, net return and B: C ratio followed by Pusa hydrogel @ 7.5 kg/ha. Therefore, it can be concluded that irrigation applied at field capacity (3 days after disappearance of surface water) along with wheat residues @ 5 t/ha proved to be a best strategy for basmati rice production