Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

Field experiment was conducted for two consecutive kharif seasons during 2014-15 and 2015-16 at G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand to study the performance of directseeded rice (DSR) under different moisture regimes and seed priming in sandy loam (SL) and silty clay loam (SCL) soils. The results revealed that root dry weight was higher for0-10 cm than 10-20 cm depth. SCL soil produced taller plants at 75 DAS (by 8.6%) and at harvest (by 12.1%) than SL soil. Sandy loam soil recorded significantly higher root dry weight at 0-10 cm depth (29.1%) and 10-20 cm depth (20.7%) than silty clay loam (SCL) soil. Irrespective of various treatments, number of tillers/m² showed progressive increase with increase in duration of crop being maximum at 60 DAS and thereafter started declining. Number of tillers/m² was significantly higher at in 2015 than 2014. SCL soil registered significantly higher number of tillers/m² than SL soil. Number of tillers/m² increased with increase in irrigation frequency and being maximum at 15 mm CPE. The total dry matter accumulation was significantly higher at 45 and 75 DAS in 2015 than 2014. SCL soil recorded significantly higher leaf, culm and total dry matter accumulation than SL soil at 45 and 75 DAS. The crop dry matter accumulation increased with increase in irrigation frequency and maximum was at 15 mm CPE. Grain and straw yields were significantly higher (26.9% and 6.0%, respectively) in 2015 than 2014. SCL soil recorded significantly higher grain yield (12.9%) than SL soil. Grain as well as straw yield increased with increase in irrigation frequency, both yields were maximum at 15 mm CPE.