Abstract
This study assessed the effects of five transplanting methods on the growth and yield performance of spring rice in Belbari, Morang, Nepal. Significant differences (p < 0.01) were observed across treatments for major vegetative and reproductive traits. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) produced the highest plant height, tiller number, and effective tillers per hill, resulting in the greatest grain yield (7121.48 kg/ha) and biomass yield (11,037.50 kg/ha), followed by mechanical transplanting. Traditional, farmer’s practice, and dry-bed methods showed comparatively lower performance. Days to 50\% flowering did not differ significantly, though SRI and mechanical transplanting slightly prolonged maturity. Multivariate analyses further clarified treatment responses. PCA distinctly separated SRI and mechanical transplanting along yield-associated components, driven by strong loadings from tiller number, effective tillers, plant height, and panicle traits. The correlation matrix confirmed strong positive associations of grain yield with biomass yield, effective tillers, grains per panicle, and test weight. Radar chart patterns highlighted the holistic superiority of SRI across all measured traits, with mechanical transplanting showing moderate-to-high performance. Overall, the study demonstrates that improved transplanting methods; particularly SRI and mechanical transplanting; enhance rice productivity through stronger trait interrelationships and better resource-use efficiency. These methods offer practical solutions for addressing labor constraints and improving profitability and sustainability in Nepal’s eastern Terai.
Keywords
References
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