Abstract

The research was conducted to study the response of yield and yield components of direct seeded fine rice (Oryza sativa L.) to different sowing dates during 2008 at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications having net plot size of 4 x 3 m. Experiment comprised of six different sowing dates that is 31st May, 10th June, 20th  June, 30th June, 10th July and 20th  July. Experiment was sown in 20 cm apart rows with single row hand drill using seed rate of 75 kgha^-1. Nitrogen and phosphorous were applied at the rate of 120 and 60 kgha^-1respectively.  Urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) were used as sources of nitrogen and phosphorus respectively. Full dose of the phosphorous and half dose of the nitrogen were applied at sowing while the remaining half dose of nitrogen was applied in two equal splits, at 20-30 days and 45-55 days after sowing (DAS). Yield components like tillers per meter square, number of kernel per panicle and 1000-kernel showed significant response to different sowing dates. The crop sown on 20^th June (D₃) produced the maximum number of productive tillers per meter square (328.7), kernel per panicle (94.47). 1000-kernel weight (18.82 g) and paddy yield (4468 kgha^-1). The result showed that the direct seeding of super basmati on 20th June gave the best results in term of entire yield and yield components.

Key words: Direct seeding, fine rice, sowing dates, yield and yield components.