Technology Intervention to Enhance the Productivity of Rainfed Upland Rice in Northern Hill Zone of Chhattishgarh

The soils of northern hill zone of Chhattisgarh are susceptible for savere erosion having higher erosive index due to heavy rainfall and prevailing sloppy lands which induced poor soil fertility with reduced productivity of various crops. The area is dominated by resource poor tribal farmers preventing them for applying costly input for increasing the productivity of their lands. The attempts were made through conducting demonstrations with improved technology for increasing the yields of uplands rice by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambikapur on sandy loam soils having low organic matter content and acidic in reaction. The soils of the farmer’s field in general were low in available nitrogen and phosphorus and medium in available potash. The improved variety Vandana was transplanted at a distance of 15cms apart in line with 15cms plant to plant distance and compared with the variety Kalinga grown with traditional method. The improved technology included optimum plant population with recommended dose of chemical fertilizers and intercultural operation with a mechanical weader call “Touchi gurma” for weed control. The seed rate of paddy was also reduced to 50kg/ha from 75 kg to 87kg/ha with reduction in input cost. The results from on farm demonstrations indicated that the improved cultivar Vandana produced nearly 59 per cent higher grain yield of paddy over traditionally cultivated rice. The grain yields of paddy with improved package of practices ranged between 22.9 to 32.02 q/ha. The net income under demonstrated plots was also found higher as compared to the traditional method of rice cultivation having higher Benefit Cost ratio of Rs. 1: 1.79.