Water management for enhancing water use efficiency and weed control efficiency in different rice establishment methods in eastern Uttar Pradesh

To evaluate the suitable and promising irrigation management practices in different crop establishment methods, Field experiment was carried out Crop Research Station, (ANDUAT), Masodha, Ayodha. To assess the agronomic efficiency, plant water potential and water use efficiency under irrigation management practices along with Split plot design was adopted with 3 main plots of irrigation management {i1: Flooding throughout crop growth (3 +/- 2 cm), i2: Saturation maintenance up to PI and (3 +/- 2 cm) after PI and i3: Alternate wetting and drying (irrigation at 5-7 days interval with 5 cm/ha of water (5 cm irrigation at 3 DADPW) up to PI and (3 +/- 2 cm) after PI} and 6 subplots of crop establishment methods {T1: Mechanical Transplanting method on puddled soil (crop management methods same as for puddled transplanted rice), T2: Direct wet seeding on puddled soil (Use of Drum seeder/ dibbling of sprouted seed at 25 x 25 cm) fb crop management practices as per direct wet seeded rice, T3: Normal hand transplanting (20 x15 cm with flooding water management, 3-4 seedlings transplanted at 25-30 days old seedlings), T4: Aerobic rice T5: Direct broadcast dry seeding on well prepared unpuddled soil fb crop management practices for direct dry drill seeded rice and T6: Optional- Location specific} of three replication. The highest grain yield was recorded at saturation with use of drum seeder 5.44 t/ha, followed by transplanting 4.38 t/ha crop establishment. The different method of irrigation recorded maximum mean highest garin yield (3.98 t) followed by alternate waiting and drying.