An Experimental Study on Productivity and Bio-molecular Compounds of Direct-Seeded Medicinal Rice Varieties as Influenced by Nutrient Sources and Soil Conditions

Rice being staple food has qualities beyond its nutritive value with high digestibility and least allergic properties compared to other cereal grains. Research on exploring the nutritional value of traditional rice varieties with its inherent medicinal values and productivity has poor documentation and hence should be encouraged and supported.

A field experiment was conducted in the wetland during 2015 Rabi season (October-February) at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore with an objective to study the effect of crop establishment of medicinal rice varieties as influenced nutrient sources (inorganic and organic) and soil conditions (reduced and oxidized) under direct seeded rice. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of soil conditions (reduced, oxidized) as one factor, sources of nutrients (inorganic, organic) as the second factor and four medicinal rice varieties (Black Kavuni, Red Kavuni, Local Kavuni and Njavara) as the third factor.

The reduced condition and inorganic source of nutrient recorded higher plant height, maximum tiller population dry matter production, leaf area index, panicle length, higher number of spikelet panicle^-1, 1000-grain weight and filled grains. Among the medicinal rice varieties, Red Kavuni recorded higher growth parameters and yield attributes. From the above results, it could be concluded that Red Kavuni medicinal rice under a reduced condition with inorganic nutrients resulted in higher growth parameters and yield attributes.