Trends in Biosciences

Field experiment was conducted during the wet (Kharif) season of 2010 at the research farm of the IARI, New Delhi to evaluate the changes in plant growth and nutritional quality of three rice varieties viz., Pusa basmati 1401, Pusa 44 and PRH 10 under three rice crop establishment methods viz., conventional transplanting (CT), system of rice intensification (SRI) and double transplanting (DT). Significantly higher grain yield was recorded in SRI 5.03 t/ha) as compared to CT (4.53 t/ha) and DT (4.48 t/ha). Plant height of SRI was recorded the highest at 60 DAT (93.07 cm) and at 90 DAT (100.08 cm). Among the varieties, PRH 10 plants grown under SRI recorded tallest plants at 60 DAT (95.37) and 90 DAT (106.40 cm). Highest root volume in was recorded at SRI at 60 (301.2 cc 0.3 m-²) and at 90 DAT (315.3 cc 0.3 m-²) and it was followed by CT and DT. Among the varieties, the hybrid PRH 10 recorded the highest root volume at 90 DAT (339.4 cc 0.3m-²) which was significantly superior to Pusa 44 and Pusa basmati 1401. Interaction effect of different cultivation methods and rice varieties was significant at 30 DAT. The results revealed that nutritional quality of grain of rice increased significantly due to the system of rice intensification (SRI) practices as compared to double transplanting and conventional method. SRI recorded the highest protein concentration in grain (7.73%) followed by DT and CT (7.53%). SRI plants recorded a significant increase in concentration of Zn in grains (24.8 mg kg⁻¹) over CT (21.8 mg kg⁻¹) and DT (21.9 mg kg⁻¹). Pusa 44 recorded the highest Cu concentration (5.93 mg kg⁻¹), which was significantly greater than the other two varieties. Cu uptake was significantly higher in SRI (29.2 g ha⁻¹) than the other two methods.