Effect of rainwater management and crop establishment methods on yield attributes and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) In high rainfall areas of Himachal Pradesh

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2003 and 2004 at the Experimental Farm of Department of Soil Science, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur to study the effect of rainwater management and crop establishment methods on yield attributes and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in high rainfall areas of Himachal Pradesh. Continuous submergence (R₄) recorded maximum panicles/m and spikelets/panicle in comparison to all other rainwater management treatments in the individual years of study. R₄ also recorded significantly the highest per cent fertile spikelets and 1000-grain weight. Grain and straw yield was also significantly the highest in R₄ treatment while R₃ recorded the minimum grain yield during both the years. The grain (25.9 and 31.5 q/ha) was highest in transplanted rice and was followed by direct seeding of sprouted seeds in puddled soil (21.2and 26.1 q/ha) while dry seeding + halod recorded minimum grain yield (16.0 and 19.0q/ha). Straw yield was also highest in transplanted rice.