Response of rice to methods of sowing under varying seed rates and levels of nitrogen

Abstract

To find out advantages and disadvantages of a popular method of sowing rice viz. “pinch” method over common method of broadcast sowing of rice in puddle soil, an experiment was conducted at Instructional farm, college of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum District during the first crop season of 1986 – 87. The treatments consisted of three rates of sowing (60,90 and 120 kg ha-1) two methods of sowing (broadcast and pinch) and three levels of nitrogen (50,70 and 90 kg ha -1). The experiment was replicated thrice in split splot in Randomised Block Design. Triveni variety of rice was used for the experiment. The establishment rate was highest with a seed rate of 120 kg ha -1 in broadcast method. The growth characters such as plant height and leaf area index were unaffected by the treatments. Highest dry matter were obtained with highest seed rate and level of nitrogen. The maximum number of tillers were obtained with medium seeding rate of 90 kg ha -1 and a rate of 70 kg N ha -1 gave the tiller count similar to 90 kg ha -1. The spikelet number, length of panicle, thousand grain weight and percentage of unfilled grains were not altered by the treatments, but the weight of panicle was significantly influenced by seed rates. The number of productive tillers were altered by the rates of seeding and levels of nitrogen. Highest tiller count was recorded with seed rate of 90 kg ha -1 and a nitrogen level of 90 kg ha -1. Grain and straw yield were highest with a seed rate of 90 kg ha -1. The harvest index was not affected by the treatments. Nitrogen uptake was highest with highest seed rate 120 kg ha -1. The other treatments showed no effect on N uptake. A seed rate of 90 kg ha -1 and a nitrogen level of 50 kg ha -1 in broadcast in puddled soil where found to be optimum in Triveni rice variety for economic rice production.