Optimizing Row Spacing for Direct Seeded Aerobic Rice under Dry and Moist Fields
Optimizing Row Spacing for Direct Seeded Aerobic Rice under Dry and Moist Fields
Muhammad Ishfaq1*, Nadeem Akbar1, Imran Khan1, Shakeel Ahmad Anjum1, Usman Zulfiqar1, Muhammad Ahmad1, Mumtaz Ahmad2 and Muhammad Umer Chattha1
ABSTRACT
Soil moisture status and row spacing at the time of sowing are important factors that can affect crop stand establishment, yield and yield-related attributes along with quality of direct seeded rice. Farmer field-based experiment comprised two soil moisture regimes at the time of sowing: (M1 = Sowing in moist (field capacity) condition, M2= Sowing in dry condition) in main plots, while three different row spacings (S1: broadcasting, (no defined row spacing) S2: 11.25 cm row spacing, S3: 22.50 cm row spacing) were assigned to sub-plots. The experimental results revealed that treatment S3 (22.50 cm row spacing) took minimum time to start emergence (3.7 days) and mean emergence time (9.6 days). In case of soil moisture condition at the time of sowing minimum time start to emergence and mean emergence time under moist field condition were (4.1 days) and (9.9 days) respectively. Final emergence count (177.3 m-2), Plant height (71.6 cm) at physiological maturity, and opaque kernel (13.7%) were maximum while weed density and weed biomass was minimum in S2 (11.25 cm row spacing) treatment. Statistically, maximum productive tillers (296.8 m-2), numbers of grains per panicle (93.7), 1000-grain weight (19.4 g), paddy yield (3.5 t ha-1) and harvest index (34.3%) were recorded in S3 treatment. Percentage of sterile spikelet (9.5%), abortive kernel (9.7%) were highest in broadcasting treatments. Maximum net income (USD. 1097.2 ha-1) was obtained from S3 (22.50 cm row spacing) treatment under dry field conditions and BCR 1.5 was recorded in 22.50 cm spaced rows. In sum, 22.50 cm spaced rows are optimum for successful and economic rice productivity under direct seeded rice.
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