Influence of high density planting on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under modified system of rice intensification

Abstract

A field study was conducted during the late Samba (September-January) season of 2018-19 at Wetland farms, TNAU, Coimbatore to study the effect of high density planting on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under modified system of rice intensification. The treatments comprised of T1 - 25 x 25cm with 100% Recommended Dose of Fertiliser (RDF) (SRI), T2 - 25 x 20cm with 100% RDF, T3 - 25 x 15cm with 100% RDF, T4 - 25 x 15cm with 125% RDF, T5 - 20 x 20cm with 100% RDF, T6 - 20 x 15cm with 100% RDF, T7 - 20 x 15cm with 125% RDF and T8 - Conventional cultivation with 100% RDF. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that significantly higher LAI and tillers were recorded at conventional method of planting compared to all other treatments. Yield attributes such as number of grains and filled grains/panicle and panicle weight were higher and lower chaffy grains were recorded under T1 and T2 compared to others. Reverse trend was noticed with number of productive tillers/m2. Grain yield was significantly higher with T5, T4, T2 and T3 compared to others. Whereas straw yield recorded superior values with closer spacing (T8, T7 and T6) treatments than others.