Productivity and economics of rice (Oryza sativa) in system of rice intensification in North-Western Himalayas

A field experiment was conducted at Malan during kharif 2006 and 2007 to evaluate the productivity and prof- itability of rice under system of rice intensification (SRI) and integrated crop management (ICM). The SRI in- volved transplanting of 10-12 days old single seedlinglhill at 25 cm x 25 cm; ICM involved transplanting of 15-18 days old 1-2 seedlingslhill at 20 cm x 20 cm spacing and were compared with conventional transplanting (CT) of 4 weeks old 2-3 seedlingslhill at 20 cm x 10 cm spacing. The treatments (CT, SRI, ICM) were tested in 2 sets,l with same date of nursery sowing (consequently with different transplanting dates) and another with same date of transplanting (with different dates of nursery sowing). The SRI and ICM methods outperformed CT under same date of nursery sowing. The plants under SRI and ICM were taller by 7.4 cm and 6.1 cm, respectively and ma- tured 7 days earlier compared to CT (124 days). More tillering at hill level compensated and thus effective tillers1 m2 in ICM (247) were at par with CT (244) but were less in SRI (203). Panicle weight (g) was significantly more in SRI (3.75) followed by ICM (3.01) and CT (2.85). On an average ICM (6.67 tlha; 14.5%) and SRI (6.43 ffha; 10.6%) produced significantly more grain yield compared to CT (5.81 tlha). NPK uptake was significantly more in ICM (98.9, 19.6, 96.8 kglha) followed by SRI and CT. On an average, ICM recorded significantly higher net return (Rs 40,9431ha) and benefit:cost ratio (2.04) followed by SRI (Rs 39,1201ha and 1.98). Under same date of nurs- ery transplanting, the number of effective tillers/m2 were significantly less under SRI (164) and ICM (214) and so the productivity and profitability in new methods was less. Thus, it is concluded that under mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, ICM was promising to increase the productivity and profitability of transplanted rice.