Improvement in water productivity without yield penalty of direct seeded rice under Micro Irrigation Systems and tillage options in Indo- Gengetic Plain of India

Abstract

Declining water table in alarming rate is major challenge of sustainability of rice in South Asia. To address this challengea field experiment was conducted from kharif 2012 and 2013 on a loam soil to evaluate the performance of irrigation systems and tillage options.The substantial water saving 41 to 94 mm/ha in 2010 and 86 to 144 mm//ha in year 2011 was recorded with all the micro irrigation systems. The highest water productivity was recorded with sprinkler irrigation system than remaining irrigation techniques during both the study years. No yield penalty was recorded under micro irrigation systems. The performance of drip and sprinkler irrigation on yield contributing charter and yield was found at par with flood irrigation however, LEWA and Chapin technologies still need refinement for being applicable at field scale. In first year, grain yield of rice was better in reduced tillage however it was similar to zero tillage in second year of study. Overall results suggested that micro irrigation system especially drip and sprinkler has the potential to sustain rice yield with substantial water saving. But these micro irrigation systems and tillage methods needs to evaluate long term and over the wide range seasonal, site conditions and varieties.