Vol. 14 No. 3
Effect of dates and methods of transplanting of winter rice (Oryza sativa L.) on relayed toria (Brassica campestris) and soil health
Author(s): A. M. Deka, H. Kalita, P. C. Bora and B. Guha
Abstract: A field experiment was carried out at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Shillongani, Nagaon, Assam during kharif - rabi seasons 2014-15 and 2015-16 to evaluate the effect of different dates of rice transplanting and methods of cultivation on productivity of winter rice (Oryza sativa L.) and their effect on rice-toria (Brassica capestris) relay system. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design for the treatments in rice during kharif season and a split plot design for treatments of relay crops in rabi season assigning dates of transplanting and method of cultivation of rice in the main plots and relay crops in sub- plots with three replications. Rice transplanted on 20th June recorded significantly higher yield attributes and grain yield as compared to the later dates of transplanting, and it was followed by 5th July- transplanted rice. Transplanting on 20th June resulted in higher values in respect of yield attributes, yield of relayed toria, rice equivalent yield (REY) of ricetoria relay system, NPK uptake by rice and toria as well as soil fungal and bacterial population after harvest of rice and toria. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) recorded significantly higher values of yield attributes and grain yield of rice (6034 kg ha-1) as compared to conventional method (5499 kg ha-1). In case of relayed toria, yield attributes, seed yield (712 kg ha-1) and REY of rice-toria relay system (7972 kg ha-1) were found higher under SRI method of rice cultivation. Under SRI method, higher uptake of NPK by rice and toria and higher soil fungal and bacterial populations after harvest of rice and toria were observed as compared to conventional method. However, conventional method of rice cultivation recorded significantly higher values of soil available N, P2O5 and K2O content at the end of two year-crop cycle over that of SRI.