Impact of land configuration and irrigation management on crop growth, yield and water use efficiency of okra under rice ecosystem.

A field experiment was carried out at Central Research Farm, Gayeshpur, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal to assess the impact of raised-sunken bed (RSB) system on the water saving, crop growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus [L.] Moench) under irrigated situation during 2012 and 2013. Treatments comprised of three RSB)ratios viz., 1: 3, 2: 3, 3: 3 and two irrigation schedules like continuous standing water (CSW±5 cm) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD at 5 days interval) for rice in sunken bed. The growth parameters viz., plant height, leaf number, dry matter (DM) accumulation, leaf area index (LAI) and crop growth rate (CGR) of okra were significantly influenced by RSB land configuration as well as CSW and AWD irrigation. The highest okra yield (14.08 t ha−1 and 15.43 t ha−1 during 2012 and 2013, respectively) was noted with 1: 3 RSB system which was statistically at par with 3: 3 bed width ratio under AWD, whereas, the lowest yield (9.42 t ha−1 and 10.70 t ha−1) was recorded in CSW 1: 3 RSB system. Okra yield in RSB with 1: 3 bed width ratio under AWD was 50% and 44% higher than the crop grown with 1: 3 bed width ratios under CSW during 2012 and 2013, respectively. RSB land configuration of 3: 3 width ratios saved about 2433% and 18–26% of irrigation water over other two bed width ratio i.e. 2: 3 and 1: 3 during 2012 and 2013, respectively. AWD irrigation schedule with RSB 3: 3 system was found more profitable with B: C of 2.58 than others.