Effect of time and method of sowing in wet direct seeded rice

Direct wet seeding offers the advantage of faster and easier sowing, reduced labour and less drudgery, 7–10 days earlier crop maturity, more efficient water use and higher tolerance to water deficit, less methane emission, and often higher profit in areas with assured water supply. There is a possibility of intercropping green manures during early growth stage of rice with less interference on the crop growth, which also smothering the weed growth to enhance the productivity of wet direct seeded rice.

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2019 and 2020 at the Department of Rice, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, to study the time of sowing and method of sowing under wet direct seeded rice. The experimental trial was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Treatments comprising of time of sowing in main plot viz., normal sowing time in first fortnight of July and delayed sowing time in second fortnight of July. In sub-plot, method of sowing viz., broadcasting method, line sowing method, paddy drum seeder method, paddy + dhaincha drum seeder method and direct planting method.

The results revealed that, sowing of wet direct seeded rice during first fortnight of July month by using Paddy + Dhaincha drum seeder method recorded higher grain yield of 5707 kg/ha which resulted 33 per cent higher yield than that of broadcasting method.