Water management options for rabi rice on deltaic soils Rao A. Upendra, Murthy K M Dakshina, Lakshmi D Adi, Sridhar T V, Viay D Andhra Pradesh Rice Research Institute, A.P. Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Maruteru Online published on 30 November, 2019. Abstract Field experiments conducted for five consecutive rabi season of 2005–06 to 2009–10 on Godavari Alluvials (Vertic chromusters) at Andhra Pradesh Rice Research Institute, Maruteru, A.P. with four water management practices viz., maintaining saturation up to PI,±2cm thereafter; alternate wetting & drying; continuous saturation and maintaining submergence ±2cm up to PI,±5cm thereafter with a view to develop appropriate water management option for transplanted rice under water scarce situation revealed that maintenance of saturation up to PI,±2cm there after resulted in significantly higher grain yield over AWD and continuous saturation (higher by 14.2 & 9.2%, respectively). Sustainable yield index, energy output, gross returns N, P & K uptake at harvest, crude protein content of grain, per cent hulling, milling and head rice recovery were also higher in maintaining saturation up to PI and ±2cm thereafter. Water saving was 32.9, 24.7and 12.3 per cent with AWD, continuous saturation and saturation up to PI,±2cm there after compared to RWM. The highest water use efficiency was noticed with AWD (6.85 kg/ha-mm) followed by continuous saturation. Weed density in RWM was almost half to the AWD and maintenance of continuous saturation. The net returns as well as return of rupee per rupee invested were higher with RWM. Root volume as well as root biomass in RWM were significantly higher over AWD and maintaining continuous saturation. Maintaining continuous saturation throughout crop growth period resulted in higher status of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Top Keywords Rice, water management, yield, returns, root & weed bio mass, water saving. Top |