Abstract :
Farmers field demonstrations were conducted during 2015 to find out the best suitable cluster for direct seeded basmati rice in district Sri Muktsar Sahib in SW Punjab. The district was divided into six clusters and demonstrations were equally divided into these clusters. Out of the six different clusters, cluster-I (54.08 q/ha) produced significantly higher grain yield from direct seeded basmati, which was statistically at par with cluster-IV (52.25 q/ha), cluster-V (50.42 q/ha) and cluster-III (48.25 q/ha) but significantly higher from cluster-VI (44.79 q/ha) and cluster-II (43.0 q/ha). Whereas, average grain yield of direct seeded basmati was decreased by 6.7 per cent as compared to transplanted basmati. However, higher net return was obtained from cluster-I followed by cluster-IV, cluster-V and cluster-VI, but less net return was obtained in cluster-II and cluster-III under both planting methods. Higher net returns were due to lower input-cost among these clusters. Average net return was also higher under transplanted basmati from direct seeded basmati but average benefit-cost ratio was higher in direct seeded basmati (2.86:1) as compared to transplanted basmati (2.70:1). Cluster-I, cluster-III, cluster-IV and cluster-V produced higher B:C ratio under direct seeded basmati from transplanted basmati. But in cluster II and cluster VI, B:C ratio under direct seeded basmati decrease from transplanted basmati. So direct seeded basmati performed well and well suitable in cluster-I, cluster-III, cluster-IV and cluster-V and didn’t perform well in cluster II and cluster VI. In these two clusters transplanted basmati can be preferred.
Keyword :
Basmati, Benefit-cost ratio, Conservation method, Direct seeding, Economics, Yield