Impact of different crop-establishment methods and cono weeding on growth, productivity and water economy of rice (Oryza sativa)

A field study was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2017 at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, to assess the impact of different crop-establishment techniques on productivity and irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE) of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.). The experiment was laid out in a 3 time replicated randomized block design. Treatments included 7 methods of establishment, viz. puddled transplanting at 20 cm x 20 cm (control), unpuddled transplanting at 20 cm x 20 cm, puddled transplanting at 25 cm x 20 cm with conoweeding twice, unpuddled transplanting at 25 cm x 20 cm with conoweeding twice, double-square transplanting with conoweeding twice (25/15cm), ridge and furrow method of transplanting (ridge 20 cm and furrow 25 cm) and transplanting in wide furrow (wide furrow 35 cm and ridge 25 cm). All the growth parameters and yield attributes like panicles/m² (258), filled grains/m² (33,789) and filled grain weight/m² (841g) as well as yield were significantly improved by different crop-establishment methods. The highest grain yield (6.7 t/ha) was recorded in double-square transplanting. Ridge and furrow transplanting and wide furrow transplanting saved 32.9% irrigation water as compared to the all puddled treatments. The highest irrigation water-use efficiency was noticed in ridge and furrow method of transplanting (123 kg/ha-cm).