Comparative performance and economic analysis of drought-tolerant rice (Variety chandragiri) under rainfed ecosystem: A case study from Kalahandi district, Odisha, India

Abstract

This study evaluates the performance and economic viability of the drought-tolerant rice variety Chandragiri in the rainfed ecosystem of Kalahandi district, Odisha, India. Using a Randomized Block Design with thirteen replications, the research compared Chandragiri with another drought tolerant variety Sahabhagi Dhan and a conventional variety Pragati during the 2024 kharif season in Bagpur village, Block- Narla, Dist.- Kalahandi (Lattitude: 20.105101o, Longitude: 83.392735o. Results demonstrated that Chandragiri significantly outperformed the other varieties, yielding 44.2 quintals per hectare compared to 40.6 and 39.2 quintals per hectare for Sahabhagi Dhan and Pragati, respectively. Superior morphological characteristics of Chandragiri included enhanced panicle structure, improved flag leaf dimensions, and robust photosynthetic capacity. Economic analysis revealed Chandragiri provided the highest benefit-to-cost ratio (1.74) among the tested varieties. Most notably, Chandragiri exhibited remarkable drought tolerance, maintaining stable productivity under moisture-deficit conditions typical of the region's sub-humid tropical climate with erratic rainfall patterns. These findings highlight the strategic importance of drought-tolerant varieties in climate-resilient agriculture, particularly in regions vulnerable to increasing water scarcity and rainfall variability due to climate change. The study recommends prioritizing the development and commercialization/adoption of Chandragiri as climate-smart variety enhance food security and agricultural sustainability in rainfed rice ecosystems.