Integrated crop management modules for enhancing productivity and profitability of direct-seeded basmati rice (Oryza sativa)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rainy season (June–October) of 2016, to study the effect of different integrated crop management (ICM) modules on productivity and profitability of direct-seeded basmati rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight treatment combinations, i.e. ICM modules (ICM1 to ICM8). The study indicated that the yield attributes, grain yield (4.03 t/ha), harvest index, as well as gross ( 96,253/ha) and net ( 50,693/ha) returns as well as gross B: C ratio (2.11) of rice crop were significantly higher in the ICM7, i.e. zero till (ZT)-summer mungbean residue retention (SMB-RR) + ZT- direct seeded rice (DSR) + wheat residue @ 3 t/ha + 75% of recommended dose of fertilizers @ 100 : 50 : 50 kg N : P2 O5 : K2 O/ha (RDF) (N through Zn coated urea/ZCU) + glyphosate as pre-plant (PP) @ 1 kg a.i./ha + pretilachlor as pre-emergence (PE)@ 0.75 kg a.i./ha followed by bispyribac-sodium @ 25 g a.i./ha as post emergence (POE) at 25 days after sowing(DAS) + need based water management, disease and integrated pest management, with comparison to othermodules. The escalation of cost due to transplanting was increased 5,045/ha compared to direct–seeded rice.The increase in net returns with ICM7 was 36.7, 41.4 and 9.3% over ICM1, conventional transplanting/TPR + 100% of RDF + butachlor-PE @ 1 kg a. i./ha + 1 hand-weeding (HW); ICM6 , ZT-DSR + wheat residue @ 3 t/ha + 75% RDF + AMF + NPK-biofertilizer + glyphosate as PP @ 1 kg a.i./ha + pretilachlor-PE @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha followed by bispyribac-sodium @ 25 g a.i./ha as POE at 25 DAS + 1 HW and ICM8 , ZT-SMB-RR + ZT- DSR + wheat residue @ 3 t/ha + 50% RDF + AMF + NPK-bf + glyphosate as PP @ 1 kg a.i./ha + pretilachlor-PE @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha followed by bispyribac-sodium @ 25 g a.i./ha as POE at 25 DAS + 1 HW, respectively. Hence, the superior ICMmodule, i.e. ICM7 may be useful for improving profitability and B : C ratio of direct-seeded rice with respect to other modules.