Rice is the most important food crop of India covering about one-fourth of the total cropped area and providing food to about half of the Indian population.

In Maharashtra, rice is third important cereal crop after Jowar and Bajara. Near about 15lakh hectare area is under rice cultivation with production of 28lakh ton. Kokan, Vidarbha, Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik etc are major rice growing areas of Maharashtra. 

It can be grown on a variety of soils with low permeability and pH varying from 5.0 to 9.5. Sandy loam to loamy sand to silty loam to clay loams, silty to clayey loam soils with low permeability, free of waterlogging and sodicity are considered best for paddy cultivation.

Short Duration variety

Phule Radha: Ready to harvest in 115-120days. Grains are medium thick, short. Gives average yield of 16-18qtl/acre.

Ambika: Ready to harvest in 110-115days. Grains are long. Gives average yield of 7-8qtl/acre.

Terana: Ready to harvest in 90-100days. Grains are long. Gives average yield of 8-10qtl/acre.

Parag: Ready to harvest in 110-112days. Grains are long. Gives average yield of 6.8-8qtl/acre. 

Ratna: Ready to harvest in 115-120days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 16-18qtl/acre.

Ratnagiri 1, Ratnagiri 24, Ratnagiri 711

Karjat 3, Karjat 7, Karjat 4, Karjat 184

Medium Duration Variety

Jaya: Ready to harvest in 125-130days. Grains are long, thick. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Phule Maval: Ready to harvest in 125-130days. Grains are long, thick. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Phule Samrudhi: Ready to harvest in 125-130days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Phalgarh - 1: Ready to harvest in 125-130days. Grains are medium, thick. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Long Duration Variety

Masuri: Ready to harvest in 140-145days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Ratnagiri - 2: Ready to harvest in 140-145days. Grains are short and thick. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.  

Karjat 2: Ready to harvest in 140-145days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Scented Variety

Indrayani: Ready to harvest in 135-140days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 16-18qtl/acre.

Basmati 370: Ready to harvest in 130-135days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 12-14qtl/acre.

Bhogavati: Ready to harvest in 135-140days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Aviskaar: Ready to harvest in 80-85days. Grains are long. Gives average yield of 12-14qtl/acre.

Sugandha: Ready to harvest in 110-115days. Grains are long. Gives average yield of 18-20qtl/acre.

Hybrids

Sahyadri 5: Ready to harvest in 140-145days. Grains are long, thin. Gives average yield of 24-26qtl/acre.

Sahyadri 3: Gives average yield of 26-28qtl/acre.

Sahyadri 1: Gives average yield of 26-28qtl/acre.

Glyphosate should be applied for the betterment of the dry field to clear the weeds and for hygienic growth. After harvesting of wheat grow dhaincha (seed rate 20kg/acre) or sunhmp@20kg/acre or cowpea@12kg/acre up to first week of May. When crop is of 6-8week old, bury them into the soil one day before transplanting of paddy. It will save 25kg of N per acre. Use laser land leveller for land levelling. After then puddled soil and to obtained fine well levelled puddled field to reduce water loss through percolation.   

Time of sowing

15th May to 15th of June is optimum time for paddy cultivation.

Spacing

For short duration variety, use spacing of 15x15cm. For medium and long duration variety, use spacing of 20x15cm. 

Sowing depth 

The seedlings should be transplanted at 2 to 3cm depth. Shallow planting gives better yields. 

Method of sowing

Transplanting of seedlings in main field and SRI method of planting. For transplanting, use 25-30days old seedlings. 

Seed Rate

Seed rate varied with grain size, method of sowing etc. For small seed varieties, seed rate 10kg per acre is required.

For medium grain varieties, seed rate of 10-12kg per acre is required.

Where as for bold seeded varieties, seed rate of 12-16kg/acre is required.  

For hybrid, use seed rate of 8kg per acre. 

Seed Treatment

Before sowing, soak them in 10Ltr water containing, Carbendazim@20gm+ Streptocycline@1gm for 8 to 10hr before sowing. After then dry seeds in shade. And then use for sowing.

Also you can use below mention fungicides to protect crop from root rot disease. Use chemical fungicide first then treat seed with Trichoderma. 

Wet bed nursery: It Is done in region having adequate water availability. Nursery area is about 1/10 of the area to be transplanted. Broadcast Pre-germinated seeds on puddled and levelled soil. Keep the beds moist for the first few days. Do not flood the beds. When the seedlings are about 2 cm high, keep the beds submerged in a shallow layer of water. Apply dose of 26kg/acre Urea about a fortnight after sowing. For transplantation use seedlings of 15-21days or when seedlings are 25-30cm long. Regularly. irrigated the nursery. 

Dry Bed: It is prepared in dry soil condition. Total seed bed area is about 1/10 of the area to be transplanted. Make seed bed of convenient dimensions with the soil raised at height of 6-10 cm. Spread half burned rice husk on these beds for easy uprooting. Irrigation should be done properly because less moisture can damage seedling. Incorporate basal fertilizer for proper nutrients.

Modified Mat nursery: This is the modified method of nursery making which require less space and less quantity of seeds. It can be cultivated at any place having flat surface and assured water supply. The area needed is about 1% of the transplantable land. Establishing seedlings in a 4cm layer of soil mix, arranged on a firm surface. Make 1m wide and 20-30m long plot and spread plastic sheet or banana leaves on it. Place a wooden frame with 4cm deep and then Fill the frame with soil mixture. Sow pre-germinated seed in it and cover the seed with dry soil. Immediately sprinkle water on it. Irrigate frame as and when needed and keep it moist. Seedlings are ready for transplanting within 11 to 14days of sowing. Transport seedling mat to field and separate them and transplant 1-2seedligs at 20x20cm or 25x25cm spacing.   

 Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply fertilizer on the basis of soil test result. 

In general, Paddy crop required, Nitrogen@40kg (Urea@90kg), Phosphorus@20kg (SSP@125kg) and Potash@20kg (MoP@35kg) per acre. For early maturing variety, apply half dose of Nitrogen and full dose of Potash, Phosphorus at time of transplantation. Add remaining 50% of Nitrogen dose, 25 to 30days after transplantation.  

For medium and Long duration variety, apply 40% of Nitrogen and full dose of Phosphorus and Potash at time of transplantation. Divide remaining amount of Nitrogen fertilizer in two splits. Give 40% of Nitrogen, 25 to 30days after transplantation. Apply remaining 20% of Nitrogen, 55-60days after transplantation. 

For Hybrid variety, apply Nitrogen@50kg (Urea@110kg), Phosphorus@20kg (SSP@125kg) and Potash@20kg (MoP@35kg) per acre. Apply half dose of nitrogen and full dose of Phosphorus and Potash at time of transplantation. Apply remaining amount of nitrogen in two equal splits and apply first dose, 25-30days after transplantation where as second dose, 55-60days after transplantation.  

Use Butachlor 50 EC@1200ml/acre or Thiobencarb 50EC@1200ml or Pendimethalin 30 EC@1000ml or Pretilachlor 50 EC@600ml per acre as pre-emergence herbicides, 2 to 3 days after transplanting. Mix any one of these herbicides in 60kg of sand per acre and broadcast uniformly in 4-5cm deep standing water.

For broadleaf weed control, apply Metsulfuron 20WP@30gm/acre in 150Ltr water as post emergence, 20-25 days after transplanting. Before spray, drained out the standing water from the field and apply irrigation one day after spray.

Keep field flooded up to two weeks after transplanting. When all water get infiltrated two day after apply irrigation in field. Depth of standing water should not exceed 10cm. While doing intercultural and weeding operation, drain out excess water from field and irrigate field after completion of this operations. Stop irrigation about a fortnight before maturity to facilitate easy harvesting. 

• Pests and their control:

Root Weevil: The presence of root weevil can be detected by the root and leave damage of yield. These are white legless grub feeds mainly on root. Plant gives yellow appearance, growth gets stunted and few tillers are form.

If incidence is observed apply Carbaryl (4G)@10 kg either Phorate (10 G)@4 kg or Carbofuran (3 G) @10 kg per acre.

Plant Hoppers: These mainly occur in the irrigated wetland conditions or in rainfed areas. The presence of pest shows the browning of the yield, sooty moulds and honeydew present in bases where infected.

If incidence is observed to control, spray with Dichlorvos @ 126 ml or 400 gm Carbaryl in 250 Ltr of water per acre or Imidacloprid @ 40 ml or Quinalphos 25 EC @ 400 ml or Chlorpyriphos @1 Ltr in 100 ltrs of water per acre.

Leaf folder: This pest develops in high humidity and specifically found where rice is fertilized heavily. Larva fold the leaves and eat the plant tissue and produces white streaks.

If infestation is observed spray crop with Cartap hydrochloride @ 170 gm or Triazophos @350 ml or Chlorpyriphos @1 Ltr in 100 Ltr of water per acre.

Rice Hispa: It is serious pest in some districts. Larva create tunnel into leaves and thus destroyed leaves by producing white streaks on leaves.

If Infestation is observed in field, spray crop with Methyl Parathion@120 ml or Quinalphos 25 EC@400 ml or Chlorpyriphos @1 Ltr in 100 ltr of water per acre.

Stem borer: Larva bore into the stem and causes dead heart. The old ones produce empty ear heads which turn white.

If infestation is observed in field take spray of Cartap hydrochloride @ 170 gm or Triazophos @ 350 ml or Chlorpyriphos @ 1 Ltr per 100 Ltr of water.

• Diseases and their control:

Blast: Due to blast disease, spindle shaped spots with greyish centre and brown margin observed on the leaves. Also give neck rot symptoms and panicles get fall over. Observed in areas having excessive use of Nitrogen.

If infestation is observed, spray with Zineb@500 gm/acre in 200 Ltr of water.

Karnal Bunt: Few grains in panicle get affected first and part of grain gets converted into black powder. In severe condition whole panicle gets affected and black powder spread on leaves, grains etc.

To control this disease, avoid excess use of Nitrogen. When crop is at 10% flowering stage, take spray of Tilt 25 EC @200 ml/200 litre of water. Repeat the spray with interval of 10 days.

Brown leaf spot: It produces oval, eye-shaped spots with a conspicuous dark-brown dot in the centre and light brown margin. Spots are developed on grains also. In low nutrient soil, this attacked more.

To keep check on this disease, give balance amount of nutrient. When crop is at boot stage take spray of Tebuconazole @ 200 ml or Propiconazole @200 ml in 200 Ltr of water. After 15 days repeat the spray.

False smut: This fungus developed large greenish velvety spore-balls on individual grains. In humid, high rainfall and cloudy conditions, chances of spread of disease are high. Excessive use of Nitrogen also increases intensity of attack.

To control this disease spray with 500 gm Copper Oxychloride per acre in 200 Ltr of water at boot stage in crop. With interval of 10 days, take spray with Tilt 25 EC @ 200 ml/200 liters of water.

Sheath blight: On leaf sheath, greyish lesion with purple margin is developed. Later these lesions get developed and enlarge. In severe condition, poor grain filling is observed. Avoid excess use of Nitrogen. Keep field clean.

If incidence of disease is observed, spray crop with Tebuconazole or Tilt 25 EC@200 ml or Carbendazim 25% @200 gm in 200 Ltrs of water per acre. Repeat the spray after 15 days interval.

Reap the yield once the panicles are developing fully as well as the crops get changed significantly yellow. The yield is generally harvested manually by sickles or by blend harvester. The harvested crops, tied up into compact bundles, strike it against really hard surface to split the grains from straw, accompanied by winnowing.

Reap the yield once the panicles are developing fully as well as the crops get changed significantly yellow. The yield is generally harvested manually by sickles or by blend harvester. The harvested crops, tied up into compact bundles, strike it against really hard surface to split the grains from straw, accompanied by winnowing.