EFFECT OF SILICON ON YIELD AND ECONOMICS OF TRANSPLANTED PADDY UNDER WETLAND ECOSYSTEM

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at farmer’s field, Keezhamankudi village, Bhuvanagiri taluk of Cuddalore district to study the effect of silicon on yield and economics of transplanted paddy under wetland ecosystem from February to June 2020. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) replicated thrice with thirteen treatments. Among the different treatments, application of 125 % RDF + Soil application of Silica GR (soil conditioner) @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of Micronutrient mixture (TN grade XI) @ 12.5 kg ha^-1 (T₁₃) significantly recorded a higher number of panicles m^-2 (642), the number of grains panicles^-1 (138.98), grain yield (6854 kg ha^-1), straw yield (9842 kg ha^-1) and economics (BCR: 2.7). Hence, treatment T₁₃ enhances the productivity of transplanted paddy through which it earns higher profitability for rice growing farming community.