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Abstract

Rice is a major crop of India, with significant contributions to the nation’s economy and food security. Due to increasing concerns over water scarcity and labour shortages, there is a growing shift towards practices such as wet direct seeding. Many farmers in irrigated and rainfed regions face delayed rice sowing due to socio-climatic and physical constraints. Evaluating short-duration, drought-tolerant varieties is crucial, as they perform better under direct-seeded conditions. This study aimed to assess such varieties under wet direct seeding in areas with partial irrigation or puddled soils, focusing on delayed sowing windows, which are often caused by late arrival of monsoon. The study was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2020 and 2021 at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, where two delayed sowing dates and four drought-tolerant rice varieties were tested. Identifying rice varieties suited to wet direct seeding under delayed sowing can help farmers secure better return from rice than leaving land fallow or facing losses and support sustainable rice production. The results indicated that delayed sowing in 3-4th week of July led to better growth, yield and economic outcome than sowing further delayed in 1st week of August. Among the varieties, DRR Dhan 46 consistently performed better, showing higher grain yield (7.8% higher than average), better economic returns (12% higher than average), and a higher Benefit-Cost ratio. The study showed that DRR Dhan 46 is the most promising variety for wet direct seeding under delayed sowing conditions.