Bharti, VijayChoudhary, Kartikeya2017-01-032017-01-032016J-14-M-358http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/94174The study entitled “Effect of Irrigation Scheduling on Growth, Yield and Quality of Direct Seeded Basmati Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Varieties” was undertaken at Research Farm, Water Management Research Centre, SKUAST-J, Chatha during kharif, 2015. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design replicated thrice with 15 treatment combinations having five irrigation schedules viz. Control (Normal transplanting with water management practice), Irrigation/Saturation at 0.3 bar suction at 15 cm depth, Irrigation/Saturation at 0.4 bar suction at 15 cm depth, Irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 125 % PE and Irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 150 % PE in vertical plots and three varieties viz. Basmati-370, Pusa-1121 and Pusa-1509 in horizontal plots. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorous and potassium. The experimental results revealed that among the five irrigation schedules, control though at par with irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 150 % PE recorded significantly higher values for all the growth parameters viz. plant height, leaf area index, number of tillers, dry matter accumulation and crop growth rate at all the stages except 30 DAS and 60 DAS. Significant increase in almost all the growth parameters resulted in significant improvement in yield attributes except 1000-grain weight of rice in both the treatments. This led to significantly higher grain and straw yield with control and irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 150 % PE. Also, both were found to be statistically at par with each other. Varieties also responded significantly. Among the varieties, Pusa-1509 which was statistically at par with Pusa-1121 for all the growth parameters, crop growth rate and yield attributes, but varied significantly over Basmati-370. Grain yield was also significant and the trend was almost similar as was observed with growth parameters and yield attributes. However, straw yield was found to be non-significant. Nutrient uptake studies for grain, straw and total uptake also behaved in similar manner for irrigation schedules and varieties except potassium uptake by straw which showed non significant variation among varieties. Imposition of irrigation schedules on different varieties had non-significant effect on soil reaction, electrical conductivity and organic carbon but nutrient status of surface soil (0-15 cm) was found to be significantly higher with irrigation at 0.4 bar suction at 15 cm depth. Qualitatively, irrigation schedules only improved amylose content significantly but among the varieties Pusa-1121 recorded significantly higher values for most of the quality parameters except kernel breadth and aroma. Water use was found to be maximum in control whereas minimum was recorded in sprinkler irrigation at 125 % PE. Water productivity was observed highest in irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 150 % PE with 36 per cent saving of water. Economically, irrigation at 2 days interval through sprinkler at 150 % PE and Basmati-370 recorded maximum net returns and B:C ratio. On the basis of this study it can be concluded that sprinkler irrigation at 150 % PE at 2 days interval can be adopted for direct seeded rice profitably. Both Pusa-1509 and Pusa-1121 can be the promising and profitable varieties but more returns can be gained with Basmati-370 under direct seeded conditions.enThesis