Evaluation of Yields of Selected Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L) Varieties in a Humid Environment

Abstract

This study is aimed to evaluate the yield performance of 12 varieties of upland rice and to assess the agronomic traits that contribute to yield performance of these varieties. A 2-year field experiment was conducted in the Teaching and Research Farm of the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The twelve varieties which made up the twelve treatments were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. The experimental site was loamy sand, medium acidic with the soil pH reduced in the second cropping season (pH 4.9 in 2012; and pH 4.8 in 2013). The varieties differed significantly amongst themselves in panicle weight, number of fertile spikelets, grain length/breath ratio, 1000 grain weight in 2012 and 2013 planting and grain yield in 2012 planting season. The ITA 321 had the highest yield of 10300.33 kg/ha in 2012 and 10533.33 kg/ha in 2013 followed by NERICA 1 having 9066.67 kg/ha (2012) and 9133.33 kg/ha (2013). The NERICA 2,3,4,5 and 6 also belonged to the high yielding group while APO, Vandana,  IR68 and ITA 150 recorded lower yields. Results of this evaluation have shown that ITA 321 and NERICA 1 can be grown in the tropical rainforest zone for paddy grain yield rather than ITA 150 which are already in use in this agro-ecological zone. They are recommended also for adoption and use in rice production instead of the popular ITA 150.