Productivity and economics of Basmati rice (Oryza sativa) as influenced by combined application of diversified nutrient sources in organic Basmati rice wheat (Triticum aestivum) system

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the rainy (Kharif) season (JuneNovember) of 2016 at research farm of the ICARIndian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the performance of the combined appli- cation of diversified nutrient sources on growth, productivity and economics of Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) in or- ganic Basmati ricewheat (Triticum aestivum) system. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 16 treatments, replicated thrice. The treatments were divided into three sets, each consisting of five and one absolute control. One set was applied to rice only, second to wheat only and third to both rice and wheat. Each set consisted of farm yard manure (FYM) @ 10 t/ha, green manuring with Sesbania aculeata in rice and Leucaena green leaves and twigs for wheat (LGLM), GM + biofertilizer of Blue green algae (BGA) in rice and Azotobacter in wheat, GM + FYM and GM + FYM + biofertilizers. Application of GM + FYM + biofertilizers to both the crops in the system gave the highest plant height (111.2 cm), number of tillers/m2 (568.5), panicle length (30 cm), panicle weight (3.03 g), number of filled grains/panicle (135), grain fertility (82.5%) and test weight (24.40 g) of Basmati rice. The highest grain yield (5.23 t/ha) of rice, being at par to most of the treatments, was significantly higher over sole application of FYM and LGLM or LGLM + biofertilizers applied to wheat alone and control. Appli- cation of GM + biofertilizers gave highest net returns of 1,01,522/ha (64.7% increase over control), but FYM + GM + biofertilizers applied to both rice and wheat crops gave maximum gross returns of 1,34,654/ha (64.8% in- crease over control). It can be concluded that productivity and income from Basmati rice can be enhanced by combined application of diversified nutrients sources to both organic Basmati rice and wheat in the system.