Economic Evaluation of Indigenous Aromatic Rice Cultivars of Manipur under Different Weed Management Practices
Phurailatpam Menaka Sharma *
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
Edwin Luikham
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
PS. Mariam Anal
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
L. Nabachandra Singh
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
K. Nandini Devi
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
N. Surbala Devi
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
N. Okendro Singh
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, India.
N. Uttam Singh
Division of Technology Assessment and Capacity Building, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm (kharif 2021 and 2022), College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University, Imphal (24°81′ N, 93°89′ E; 790 m above MSL), to evaluate the economic performance of aromatic rice cultivars under different weed management practices in the subtropical conditions of Manipur Valley. The experiment followed a split-plot design with three replications, featuring four cultivars- Khamanui Lungra (C1), Chaphemai (C2), Nambew (C3) and Chakhao Poireiton (C4) and five weed management strategies: W1-Manual weeding, W2-Pre emergence application of Pretilachlor 50% EC @ 450g a.i ha-1 followed by post emergence application of Metsulfuron methyl 10% + Chlorimuron ethyl 10% WP @ 4g a.i ha-1, W3-Pre emergence application of Pretilachlor 50% EC @ 450g a.i ha-1 followed by post emergence application of Penoxsulam 2.67% @ 25 g a.i ha-1, W4-Pre emergence application of Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 50 g a.i ha-1 followed by post-emergence Penoxsulan 2.67% @ 25g a.i ha-1 and W5-Control. Results revealed that among the cultivars, ‘Chaphemai’ (C2) recorded the highest plant height (196.9 cm), number of tillers per hill (11.3) and leaf area index (5.41), contributing to a superior grain yield of 4.69 t ha-1. The W3 treatment was most effective in suppressing weeds and enhancing growth, yield and profitability, recording the highest grain yield (3.28 t ha-1), net returns (₹1,04,062.87 ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (3.32). In contrast, the control (W5) registered the lowest yield (20.26 q ha-1), net returns (₹39,785.53 ha-1) and B:C ratio (1.75), highlighting the economic risk of poor weed management in aromatic rice cultivar of Manipur. Economic analysis confirmed that the combination of Chaphemai with Pretilachlor+ Penoxulam (W3) treatment offered the most promising outcome for aromatic rice cultivation in the region, both agronomically and financially.
Keywords: Aromatic rice, economic performance, weed management, net returns, benefit-cost ratio, Manipur valley