Package of Practices for Rice Crop

1. Varieties

• Already given under AP state rice crop

2. Nursery and transplanting

• About 50 kg seed in an area of 500 m² is sufficient for planting an hectare. Treat the seed with carbendazim 2.5g kg^-1, 24 hours before seeding.
• Apply 1.0 kg N and 0.5kg each of P₂O₅ and K₂O (2.2 kg urea, 3.0 kg super phosphate, and 0.8 kg muriate of potash) for every 100 m² nursery area.
• Raise the nursery during first week of July for Kharif and December for Rabi and transplant in the main field when the seedlings are about 30 and 35 days old respectively using a spacing of 20x15cm for kharif and 15x15cm for medium duration varieties and 15x10cm for short duration varieties during Rabi.
• Dormancy can be broken by soaking seed in 0.1N nitric acid (6.3ml conc. nitric acid in one litre of water) for 12 to 24 hours before sowing. One litre of solution is enough to soak one kg seed.
• To protect the nursery from insect pest, apply carbofuran 3G @ 16kg acre^-1 (160g cent^-1) or phorate 10 G @ 5kg acre^-1 (50g cent-1) at 7-10 days a fter germination of seed.
• Maintain a thin film (3 to 5cm) of water. Instead of granules, spray monocrotophos 1.6ml 1^-1 or carbaryl @ 3g 1^-1 at 10 and 17days after germination of seed.

3. Fertiliser Management

• Integrated nutrient management involving organic (green manuring, compost or FYM) and inorganic (NPK fertilisers) along with bio-fertilisers is highly essential.
• Need based fertiliser application minimises the cost of production. Use organic and inorganic sources to supply 160 N, 80 P₂O₅ and 80 K₂Okg ha^-1 for kharif and 120 N, 60 P₂O₅ and 60 K₂O kg ha^-1 for Rabi.
• Apply phosphorous and potash basally and N in three equal splits at planting, tillering and panicle initiation stages. Rhizosphere placement increase the N use efficiency.
• Zinc deficiency can be corrected through soil application of zinc sulphate at 50 kg ha^-1 once in three seasons (or) two to three sprayings of 0.2% (2.0 g1^-1) zinc sulphate at 5 days interval can correct zinc deficiency in standing crop. Ensure reclamation of problem soils.

4. Weed Management

Nursery weed management

• Spray benthiocarb at 2.5 to 3.0 / ha^-1 on 3^rd or 7^th day other sowing for effective control of Echinochloa spp. without any phytotoxicity to rice seedlings.

Main field

• Crop should be kept weed free upto 6 weeks after planting by giving two weedings at 20 and 40 days after planting. Any of the following herbicides can also be used :
• 2,4-D ethyl ester (4G) @0.5kg a.i ha^-1 (12.5 kg ha^-1) or 2,4 D ethyl ester 0.5kg a.i ha^-1 (12.5 kg ha^-1 of granules / ha) + anilophos @0.4 kg a.i. ha^-1 (1.3 L ha^-1) or 2, 4 DEE 0.5 kg a.i ha^-1 (12.5 kg of granules / ha) + benthiocarb 1.0 kg ai ha^-1 (3L ha^-1) or 2, 4 DEE 0.5 kg a.i ha^-1 (12.5kg of granules /ha) + butachlor @ 1.0 kg a.i ha^–1 (20 kg granules ha^-1). They should be used 3-5 days after planting).
• If granular insecticides are not available, liquid formulations must be mixed with sand before application in the main field.
• 2,4-D Na salt spray 0.75 – 1.0 kg ha^-1 25-30 days after planting, especially for broad leaved weeds.

5. Water Management

• If irrigation water is not a limiting factor, continuous submergence of 5cm depth may be maintained for controlling the weeds effectively.
• Under conditions of limited water availability, maintain 2.5-3.0cm depth up to tillering, 5.0cm during reproductive stage and 2.5 to 3.0cm during maturity phase followed by gradual field draining up to a week before harvest.

6. Pest Management

Rice gallmidge (ETL 5% silver shoots (or) one gall m^-2)

• Nursery protection : Grow gallmidge resistant variety like MTU 7014. Apply either carbofuran 3G at 1.25 kg a.i ha^-1 (40 kg ha^-1) or phorate 10G at 1.25 kg a.i ha^-1 (12.5kg ha^-1) at 7 days after germination of seed and water should be impounded in nursery beds for 3-4 days (or) spray monocrotophos 36% SL at 1.6ml 1^-1 of water at 7 days after germination and repeat spraying at 10 days interval.
• Dip the whole seedlings, after uprooting, in 0.05% chlorpyriphos 20EC solution (500ml of chlorpyriphos in 200 litres of water) for a minute before transplanting.

Main field protection

Stemborer (ETL 5% dead hearts or one moth m^-2)

• Apply cartap hydrochloride 4G or chlorpyriphos @ 2.0 ml 1^-1 of water when moth activity is noticed on the field or spray monocrotophos @ 1.6ml 1^-1 Spray any one of the above insecticides if the incidence is noticed again.
• Plant hopper (ETL : 20 insects per hill) – Brown Plant Hopper and White Backed Plant Hopper:
• Third generation of the pest coincides with the flowering stage leading to maximum damage.
• For effective control, apply monocrotophos at 2.2 ml 1^-1 or imidachloprid @ 0.25ml 1^-1 or carbaryl 4g 1^-1 or BPMC 2ml 1^-1 or ethofenprox @ 1.25 – 1.5ml 1^-1 of water directing of spray fluids towards the base of the plant.
• At post flowering stage dusting with endosulfan 4% or carbaryl 5% at 25kg ha^-1 gives good control.
• Alley ways for every two meters crop width should be made for facilitating proper supervision, proper aeration for plants and for effective spraying.

Green leaf hopper (ETL : 10 hoppers per hill)

• The pest acts as a vector for rice tungro virus (RTV) disease.
• Apply monocrotophos @ 1.6ml 1^-1 or chlorpyriphos 2.0 @ ml 1^-1 or carbaryl @ 3.5g 1^-1. For quick knock down of heavy populations spray dichlorovos @ 1ml 1^-1 or water.

Leaf folder (ETL : 1-2 affected leaves / hill)

• Maximum leaf folder incidence coincides with the boot leaf stage.
• Apply cartap hydrochloride @ 10kg acre^-1 (or) monocrotophos 1.6ml or quinolphos 25 EC 2.5ml or chlorpyriphos 2.5ml 1^-1 of water or cartap hydrochloride 50% SP @ 1.5g 1^-1 or acephate 1.5 g 1^-1 of water.

Integrated Pest Management Against Rice Pests

• Select a resistant variety, MTU 5182 (Nandi), MTU 4870 (Deepti), against the local major pest (BPH).
• Spray the nursery with a suitable insecticide (monocrotophos @ 1.6ml 1^-1 or chlorpyriphos 2.0 ml 1^-1) five days before pulling the seedlings from nursery or dip the seedlings wholly in a solution of chlorpyriphos 2.5 ml 1^-1 for one minute.
• Form alleyways of 20cm at 2m apart during transplantation.
• Apply recommended dose of nitrogen in three equal splits of planting, maximum tillering and panicle initiation.
• Avoid use of BPH resurgence causing insecticides like methyl parathion, quinalphos, synthetic pyrethroids and phorate granules at the early stages of crop growth.
• Monitor the pest from 30 days after transplantation (DAT) and apply any of the following insecticides when the pest population exceeds ETL. Monocrotophos @ 2.2ml 1^-1 or carbaryl @ 4g 1^-1 or carbofuran 3G @ 25kg ha^-1 or endosulfan 4% dust @ 25kg ha^-1.
• Alternate wetting and drying the field will minimise the pest (BPH) build up.
• When the populations of mirid bug, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis or wolf spider, Lycosa pseudoannulata are seen, the insecticide application could be delayed.

  a)Granular insecticides application is recommended up to panicle initiation stage only.
  b)Insecticide spray or dust should be directed towards the base of the plant for effective control of BPH.
  c)Apply dust formulations after the grain hardening stage.
  A spray fluid of 500 L ha^-1 is required for effective coverage of the crop canopy.

Disease Management

• Incidence of diseases can be minimised through the use of disease free seed, wider spacing, more split application of recommended doses of nitrogenous fertilisers and clean cultivation.

Blast

• Grow resistant varieties like Swathi, Sravani, Somasila, MTU 7014 and RNR 1446 in endemic areas.
• Treat the seed with carbendazim at 2.5g or mancozeb at 3.0g kg^-1. Spray ediphenphos 1.0 ml 1^-1 or carbendazim 1.0g 1^-1 or tricyclozole at 0.6g 1^-1 of water immediately after appearance of 5% disease.
• Repeat if necessary with any one of the above fungicides after 15 days of first spray.

Sheath Blight

• Against sheeth blight, prophylactic seed treatment with carbendazim @ 2.5g kg^-1 or soaking the seed for 24 hours in carbendazim 0.1% solution is effective.
• Spray hexaconazole @ 2ml or propicanazole @ 1ml 1^-1 or validamycin 1ml 1^-1 immediately after 10% disease incidence is noticed.

Rice Tungro Virus (RTV)

• Grow IET 7302 (Vikramarya), IET 9994 (Nidhi), Bharani (NLR 30491) in RTV endemic areas.
• Removal and destruction of RTV affected plants. Control of vector (GLH) by spraying monocrotophos @ 1.6ml 1^-1 or carbaryl @ 3g 1^-1 or chlorpyriphos @ 2.5ml 1^-1 at 10 days interval when ETL of 2 insects hill^-1 is observed.

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