PERFORMANCE OF BASMATI RICE (Oryza sativa L.) GENOTYPES UNDER DIFFERENT CROP ESTABLISHMENT METHODS

The study was conducted to evaluate the performance of thirty-six Basmati rice genotypes for yield and its related traits under direct-seeded rice (DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI), chemical-free cultivation (CFC), and conventional transplanted rice (TPR).The genotypes were evaluated for two years at two locations in randomized block design with three replications. Genotype Pusa Basmati 1121 scored highest similar to 22% yield increase in system of rice intensification method over transplanted rice followed by Pusa Basmati 1 (similar to 20%) genotypes HKR 11-447 (similar to 18 %). Genotype Pusa Basmati 1, Pusa Basmati 1637-2-8-20-5 and Pusa Basmati1734-8-3-85 produced 8-16 % higher yield in chemical-free cultivation in comparison toTPR. Genotypes HKR 98-476, CSR 30, PAU 6297-1 yielded equally in DSR as well as in TPR. All the genotypes under study showed earlier flowering and maturity in DSR followed by SRI and TPR=CFC. Pusa Basmati 1509recordedthe earliest flowering across the environments. Most of the genotypes showed an increase in panicle weight, number oftillers per plant, number of spikelets per panicle, percent filled spikelets, Biological yield, and grain yield under SRI over other methods of rice crop establishment. Among different methods, SRI was found best thanTPR, CFC, and DSR (wet).