Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Improving Grain Yield of Indigenous Rice in Tidal Floodplain of Southern Bangladesh: Effect of Seedling Age and Transplanting Method

Abdul Hamid*
Agrarian Research Foundation, Shekhertek, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Jafar Ullah
Agrarian Research Foundation, Shekhertek, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Agronomy Department, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Moynul Haque
Agronomy Department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Md. Faruque H. Mollah
Agrarian Research Foundation, Shekhertek, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Moksedur Rahman
Coastal Ecosystem Unit, Agrarian Research Foundation, Barisal, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Rice production in the tidal floodplain of southern Bangladesh is constrained by uncontrolled water. In absence of high yielding varieties suitable for tidal floodplain, farmers grow low yielding indigenous cultivars of tall plant type. This paper reports the effect of agronomic management on the yield and yield components of an indigenous rice cultivar, Sadamota. The trial was conducted in 10 farmers’ plots located widely apart in two upazila (sub-districts)- Jhalakati and Rajapur. 45 d and 60 d old seedlings were transplanted either in rows at 40 cm × 20 cm spacing or following farmers’ traditional practice of random planting. Transplanting 60 d old seedlings produced 14% higher yield compared with 45 d old seedlings. Transplanting in rows also increased grain yield by 12%. The yield increase was associated with hill density, the number of effective tillers per hill and the number of spikelets per panicle.

Keywords: Rice, Seedling Age, Planting Method, Tidal Floodplain Tillers, Seedling Dry Weight, Grain Yield

Location: Rajapur upazila and Jhalakati upazila.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Rice

Objectives:

Objective of this study was to observer the improvement of grain yield of indigenous rice in tidal floodplain of southern Bangladesh with effect of seedling age and transplanting method.

Methodology:

In this paper it was reported the effect of transplanting 45 d and 60 d old seedlings either in rows at 40 cm × 20 cm configuration or following farmers’ traditional practice of random planting without maintaining rows on growth and yield of an indigenous rice cultivar Sadamota. On the east the river Bishkhali flows from north to south parallel to all the three villages. On the west the villages are bounded by a relatively small river Jangalia. Crop lands, mostly medium lowlands, in the area are typically connected with the rivers by canals. Plots are usually inundated to a varying degree during high tides twice daily in the rainy season. Mean annual rainfall was about 2700 mm; over 77% of rainfall occurring during June through October. Mean temperatures during the growing season ranged between 18.3⁰C and 33.1⁰C. Soils in the study areas are clayey and clay-loam with low N, very low P, medium high K, high S, medium low Zn and very high contents of Ca, Mg, Cu and Fe. Each participating farmer planted rice crop in a large plot. Plot size varied between 0.134 ha and 0.385 ha. Seedlings of two age groups- 45 d and 60 d, and two planting methods- transplanting in rows, 7 seedlings per hill, at 40 cm × 20 cm configuration, and farmers’ practice of random planting using 9 - 11 seedlings per hill formed the treatment variables. The 2 × 2 factorial experiment was set up in a randomized block design. The 10 farmers’ plots accommodating the experiment constituted replications. Seedlings of Aman rice (cv. Sadamota) were raised in nursery beds. A common nursery bed was established for two villages in Rajapur upazila and one for Jhalakati upazila. Seeds were soaked for 24 hrs followed by incubation in dark room for about 48 hrs and pre-germinated seeds were sown in the seedbeds at two different dates 12 June and 27 June, 2012. No fertilizers were applied in the seedbeds. Seedlings of two batches were uprooted on 12 August 2012 and transplanted in the selected plots. Prior to transplanting, land was prepared by walking-type tractor and a moderate dose of fertilizers (40 kg N, 15 kg P₂O₅, and 25 kg K₂O per ha) was applied and incorporated into the soil at final plowing. Top dressing of N fertilizer at around panicle initiation stage could not be done due to continual submergence of land. At the time of transplanting, three samples each of 100 seedlings were taken at random from each batch of seedlings. Sampling was done carefully uprooting the seedlings from the seedbed. Sampled seedlings were washed in clean water and sub-samples each of 10 seedlings were taken to measure the length of seedlings. Sample seedlings were oven dried at 70⁰C to a constant weight and dry weight recorded. Such a large variation in hill density was not unexpected. In order to avoid lodging and reduce transplanting shock farmers transplanted during high tides and maintaining rows and hill density precisely in inundated field is difficult. The crop was grown under wetland condition without irrigation. The land was sufficiently wet or inundated due to high rainfall coupled with tidal flooding. Pest incidence was minimal and no pesticide was applied. Weeding was not required as the plots were nearly weed-free. Rice matured and harvested in early January 2013. At maturity the experimental crop was sampled from an area of 10 m × 5 m from the center of each sub-plot, threshed, grain moisture content determined using a digital grain moisture meter and grain yield recorded adjusting at 14% moisture content. Five hills were sampled at random from each sub-plot avoiding the border effect. Shoot length, the number of tillers per hill, effective tillers, total number of spikelets per panicle, and number of filled spikelets per panicle were recorded. 1000 grain weight was recorded using samples from the filled grains. Data thus generated were analyzed statistically and means compared using DMRT.

Source of Information: Agricultural Sciences, 2015, 6, 1538-1546

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Transplanting 60 days old seedlings in rows at 40 cm × 20 cm spacing gave yield advantage of 12% - 14% in traditional rice cultivar Sadamota. In the tidal floodplain of south central coastal region of Bangladesh where high yielding varieties are not suitable for cultivation, the traditional cultivars of Aman rice will continue to dominate. Adopting the improved agronomic practices for indigenous rice varieties may substantially increase yield and profit.

Knowledge Management: Journal