Varietal Improvement and Weed Management for Aerobic Rice Cultivation in the Drought-Prone Jharkhand State

Aerobic rice varietal and weed management trials under direct seeding were carried out at Birsa Agricultural University Rice Experimental Area, Kanke, Ranchi in the wet seasons of 2017 and 2018. Efforts were made to select better high-yielding varieties and improved production technology for aerobic rice cultivation. Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata), Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and urd bean (Vigna mungo) were grown along with direct seeded rice, uprooted and used as a green mulch, 25 days after seeding. Six varietal trials were conducted under aerobic conditions during the 2017 and 2018 wet seasons in which the entries RP 6191-HHZ1-Y4-Y1-Y1 (6.90 t ha-1), PA 6129 (hybrid) (6.45 t ha-1), RP 6273-HHZ4-DT3LI1-LI1 (6.10 t ha-1), CR Dhan 201 (5.185 t ha-1), US 380(hybrid) (5.28 t ha-1), NVSR 2107 (4.73 t ha-1), IIRRH 124 (hybrid) (4.70 t ha-1) with early maturity were found promising. In varietal trials, intermediate plant height (100 to 110 cm), non-lodging and high yield (>4.0 t ha-1) were major criteria for selection. Two to three irrigations were applied as per the requirement. Naveen variety under aerobic conditions produced maximum yield with 125 kg N per hectare in both years. Among weed control methods, rice+ dhaincha+ pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 g a.i. per hectare in 2017 and rice+ dhaincha+2,4 D @ 0.8 kg a. i. per hectare as post- emergence application produced maximum yield with weed control efficiency of 61.4% in 2018.