Conservation Agriculture Practices on Physiological Indices of Rice in Rice Based Cropping System

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy farm, Kerala Agricultural University during 2019-2021 to develop an eco friendly conservation method for upland rice based cropping system. Rice-okra cropping system with conservation practices were compared with conventional practice. Treatments consisted of planting methods like flat bed and raised bed with eitherinsitugreen manuring or brown manuring and with minimum soil disturbance. Various conservation practice significantly influenced the physiological parameters of rice under rice based cropping system. Highest leaf area index crop was recorded in direct seeding rice in flat bed + in situ green manuring at all stages of crop growth and it was statistically superior over other treatments. The crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate up to 60DAS recorded highest in direct seeding rice in flat bed +insitugreen manuring but at 90-120DAS the highest was found in direct seeding rice in raised bed + green manuring. Growing green manure crops along with ricecrop raised in flat bed or raised bed had significant influence on the growth indices of rice.