Response of local rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars to recommended NPK fertilizer dose under upland rainfed conditions

The present investigation was conducted to study the growth and yield response of local rice cultivars to application of recommended dose of NPK fertilizers under upland rainfed conditions. It was found that the application of recommended NPK fertilizer dose (60:30:30 kg/ha) resulted in significantly superior expression of rice growth and yield attributes by the different cultivars recording increased grain yields up to 36.51 q/ha and straw yields of 60.96 q/ha. Among the 8 local rice cultivars tested signification variations in plant growth, yield and yield attributes were observed. However, the cultivar ‘Muntse’ was found to be the most adaptable rice variety recording the highest grain yield of 42.94 q/ha followed by ‘Temeseng’, ‘Leikhumo’ and ‘Chongloi Mann’. Application of recommended fertilizer dose (60:30:30 kg/ha) to the cultivar ‘Mumtse’ was found to record the highest gross return/ha (Rs.51,342), net return/ha (Rs. 30,169) as well as BCR (1.42) compared to the rest of the treatments tested.