Effects of Sowing Methods on the Growth and Grain Yield of Irrigated Rice in National Irrigation Board Schemes

Abstract

Field investigations were carried out to ascertain the influence of varying sowing methods (wet-seeding and transplanting), on the growth and grain yield of two lowland rice varieties, NIBAM 108 and NIBAM10 at Mwea and Ahero Irrigated Schemes. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates per site. Results indicated that yields of NIBAM 108 under wet seeding were significantly (P<0.05) higher than transplanting at Ahero during the two seasons (1416.9 and 1679.6kgha^-1 in the first and second season respectively. However, there were no significant yield differences with the same variety at Mwea). At Mwea, NIBAM 10 yielded significantly (P<0.05) higher under wet seeding than transplanting in the two seasons (823.1 and 333.2kgha^-1 in the first and second season respectively. There were no significant (P<0.05) differences in 1000 grain weight shown by the two varieties at both Ahero and Mwea during the two seasons. The two varieties in both seasons and sites produced significantly (P<0.05) higher number of tillersm^-2 under wet seeding than under transplanting (Ahero, fisrt season 332.7, second season 495 tillers m^-2, while at Mwea first season had 630 and second season 633 tillers m^-1. Those tillers under wet seeding at both Ahero and Mwea took significantly (P<0.05) shorter time to mature than transplanting in both seasons. They took an average of 8-24 days shorter to mature. Hence wet seeding seemed to produce a better environment for rice growth and grain yield.


Int. J. Agric. Rural Dev., 2003, 4: 39-45