Productivity and profitability of traditional scented rice (Oryza sativa l.) varieties under organic cultivation in north-west plains of India

Abstract

To study the performance of traditional scented rice varieties under organic cultivation, a field experiment was conducted at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during kharif 2020 to evaluate ten traditional scented rice varieties namely Kubri Mamhani, Kudrat-5, Chinar-20, Kesho Pohu, DRK, Kudrat-5, Pusa-1121, Type-3, Taraori and Tilak Chandan. The experiment was carried out using an organic farming method. The experiment with the randomised block design included three replications. Each hill was planted with two seedlings, spaced 25 cm apart by 12.5 cm. Sesbania green manure and 2.5 t vermicompost/ha were used as top dressing to rice crops. The highest number of panicles (273) and grain weight/m² (1.89) and yield (95.7q/ha) was recorded by Kudrat-5. Among different varieties, Tilak Chandan registered the highest panicle length (31.3 cm) and highest test weight was of variety Chinar-20 (26.8 g). The maximum number of grains/panicle (281) with filled grains (198) was registered in the variety Kudrat-1 while the maximum sterility was recorded in case of variety Tilak Chandan (43.4%). Variety Kudrat-5 recorded the maximum value of net return (1,19,654 ₹/ha) as well as B: C ratio (2.67). Hence, among ten traditional scented rice variety Kudrat-5 can be recommended to farmers.