Agricultural Research Journal

A field experiment was conducted to find out water and energy efficient, economically viable kharif crop to replace transplanted rice in Indian Punjab. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with 10 treatments (flat and bed sown soybean; flat, trench and ridge sown maize; direct and transplanted basmati rice; flat and bed sown moong; and puddled transplanted rice (PTPR). Transplanted basmati rice (TPBR) recorded 22.1% higher rice equivalent yield (REY) with 21.3 cm less irrigation water and registered 48.2% higher apparent water productivity (AWP) than PTPR. Similarly, direct seeded basmati rice (DSBR) produced significantly higher REY as compared to PTPR and registered 53.6% higher AWP. Ridge and trench sown maize produced statistically at par REY with PTPR with saving of 91.7 cm irrigation water than PTPR. TPBR and DSBR registered Rs 25.6 and 23.0 thousands/ha more net returns and 54.2 and 56.9% higher energy use efficiency than PTPR, respectively. However, ridge and trench sown maize while recording Rs 3.7 and 10.3 thousands/ha less net returns, produced 1.53 and 1.37 kg rice grain more than PTPR with each cubic metre of water.