Unveiling the Economic Dynamics of Rice (Oryza sativa l.) Cultivation: An Experimental Study of Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

An experiment on rice treatments to improve soil fertility and sustainable crop productivity was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India during the rabi season, 2021-2022 with an objective to assess the economic dynamics of rice crop in combination to green manure crops. The experiment consists of ten treatments of rice which were sown on 9th September 2021 after harvesting of kharif crop in sandy loam soils. The results revealed that incorporating green manure crops along with rice yielded higher paddy output compared to the traditional rice-only practice. The highest test weight (24.1 g) was recorded under the treatment T3-Rice+Dhaincha (5:1) which was statistically on par with T4-Rice+Dhaincha (10:1). The Harvest index recorded highest (0.45) for the treatments T3-Rice+Dhaincha (5:1) and T8-Rice (Co 52). The economics of the experiment were worked and the cost of cultivation (Rs. 51500), gross income (Rs. 123487), net income (Rs. 71987), and benefit-cost ratio (2.40) were recorded highest in T3-Rice+Dhaincha (5:1) variety. Additionally, the results unveiled a substantial correlation between grain yield and economic indicators. Notably, grain yield demonstrated a significant association, reaching a significance level of 95%, with both gross income and net income. Furthermore, an impressive positive correlation, significant at the 99% level, was identified between grain yield and two essential yield traits: test weight and harvest index. These findings underscore the potential of incorporating green manure crops in rice farming to enhance soil fertility, boost crop productivity, and ensure economic viability, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices.