An On-Farm Trial was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kurukshetra during the Kharif seasons of 2020 and 2021 using the rice variety PB-1121. The study aimed to assess rice production, yield attributes, growth characteristics, the relationship between rice blast disease incidence as well as the economic aspects of cultivation. Rice, being a major cereal crop, serves as a staple food for more than half of the global population. To improve crop productivity and enhance farmers' profitability, On-Farm Trials (OFTs) were carried out using improved rice varieties along with advanced production and protection technologies.
A total of 15 on-farm trials were conducted during the years 2020 and 2021 on farmers' fields to demonstrate the production potential and economic benefits of improved technologies, including sowing methods, nutrient management, and chemical weed control. The performance of these improved practices was compared with traditional farmer practices in terms of production, productivity, and economic returns. Yield gaps were also analyzed.
Results showed that in 2020, the highest mean net income was recorded in the treatment with Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin25 WG (Rs. 54,924/ha), followed by Tricyclazole75 WP (Rs. 46,476/ha). In 2021, the Azoxystrobin 18.2%+ Difenoconazole11.4%SC treatment provided the highest net return (Rs. 90,150/ha), while Tricyclazole 75WP again performed well with a net return of Rs. 83,350/ha. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for improved technologies ranged from 1.84 to 2.90, significantly higher than that of the farmers’ traditional practices, which yielded net returns of Rs. 34,663/ha (2020) and Rs. 68,300/ha (2021). These findings clearly highlight the advantages of adopting improved technologies for higher productivity and profitability in paddy cultivation.
