Study on Growth Behaviours of Rice Cultivars under Dry Direct Seeded Conditions during Samba Season

Aim: To evaluate the performance of different rice cultivars under dry direct-seeded rice (DDSR) Conditions by assessing plant height, tiller number per hill, and dry matter production at key growth stages and yield potential with the aim of identifying cultivar suitable for water-limited, non-puddled rice cultivation systems. Study Design: The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with fifteen varieties as treatments, which was replicated three times. Place and Duration of Study: The field experiment was conducted at the instructional farm of the School of Agricultural Sciences, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, during the Samba 2024-25 cropping season. Methodology: Fifteen rice varieties were sown under DDSR conditions using uniform spacing and agronomic practices. Data were collected at active tillering, panicle initiation, heading and harvest stages on plant height, tiller number per hill, and dry matter production. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA were assessed for significance. Results: Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed among cultivars for all studied parameters. Karuppukavuni (T10) Consistently recorded the highest plant height (80.54 cm), while Co 57 and Co 56 exhibited superior tiller numbers per hill (26,25 respectively). Paiyur1 (T15) achieved the highest dry matter production (15876 kg/ha), indicating robust vegetative growth. In Contrast, BPT 5204 (T14) and T10 displayed lower performance in certain traits, particularly in dry matter accumulation and tiller retention. Conclusion: Specific rice varieties such as Co 57, Co 56, and Paiyur1 exhibit favorable traits for DDSR systems, characterized by early vigor, effective tillering, and high biomass accumulation. Varietal selection plays a critical role in enhancing productivity and resource-use efficiency under DDSR. Future research should focus on integrating phenotypic data with molecular breeding tools to develop varieties optimized for dry-seeded conditions.