Protected Nursery Aided Popularization of Jehlum – A High Yielding Rice Variety to Enhance Productivity and Profitability under Mid Altitude Temperate Conditions of Kashmir Valley

Abstract

Temperature fluctuations and lower night temperature during April and May not only pose great threat to paddy nurseries but also results in slow growth of seedlings, which delays rice transplanting in temperate Kashmir valley. The farmers of mid altitude alleviations grow traditional varieties like K-332 and Kohsar, which have low yield potential. Jhelum, a high yielding rice cultivar famous for yield potential and quality in the planes of valley is now occupying maximum area under mid altitude temperate conditions. The adaption of Modified Protected nursery, to save nursery from climatic vagaries and to simultaneously provide robust and healthy seedlings in a short period, ensures early transplanting and boost the yield potential of the variety in mid altitudes. In view of this-on-farm trials on modified protected nursery (Improved practice) verses open nursery (Farmers’ practice) were conducted at Farmers’ field. In modified protected nursery the medium consisted of a 20–25 cm layer of soil, sand, organic manure and ash mixed in the ratio of 2:2:1:1, which was laid on polythene sheet. Nursery was kept covered with polythene during cloudy/rainy days and also during night hours particularly for initial 10–15 days after sowing. Seedlings under protected nursery technique were healthy and robust and ready for transplanting 8–10 days earlier compared to farmers’ practice. Yield attributes and grain yield improved appreciably in improved practice over farmers’ practice. Panicles/m2(387), grains/panicle (85) and 1000 gain weight (22.9g) were higher in protected practice as compared to farmers’ practice. Grain yield was more (61.7q/ha) in the improved practice. An increase in the grain yield to the tune of 12 per cent with wet profit (Rs.61,240/ha) and B:C ratio (2.4:1) was recorded in the improved practice of modified protected nursery as against net returns of Rs. 53,580/ha and B: C ratio (2.1:1) in farmers’ practice.