Growth and yield performance of ratooned hybrid (Bigante) as influenced by ratooning height under different planting methods

A study 'Growth and Yield Performance of Ratooned Hybrid (Bigante)as influenced by Ratooning Height Under Different Planting Methods,' was conducted from November 28, 2005 to February 6, 2006. The objectives of the study were: 1) to determine the effect of ratooning height on the growth of Bigante rice in terms of plant height and number of tillers (productive and non-productive), 2) its influence on yield parameters such as length of panicle, number of grains (filled and unfilled) per panicle, weight of 1000 grains in terms of grain yield and, to 3) evaluate the profitability of three ratooning heights in the growing of ratooned Bigante Rice. There were three treatments each replicated four times and laid out following the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments include Treatment A- Ground level (7 cm height), Trearment B- Medium height (17 cm); and Treatment C- Regular height the straw was left uncut after harvest and simply allowed to ratoon at (approximately 27 cm in height). All the three treatments were tried in directly seeded rice field, in straight-row planted rice and in the field where the rice plants were randomly planted . The study actually composed of three independent experiments. Results of the study showed that both the growth and yield parameters of ratooned Bigante hybrid rice were significantly affected by the height in which straws were ratooned. Generally taller ratooned rice was noticed when straws were left uncut. Shortest were those that were cut closed to the ground. But in terms of the number of tillers both productive and non-productive, more tillers were noticed in rice plants cut at the ground level specifically for the directly seeded and randomly planted rice. For plants planted in straight row, more tillers were noticed in treatment rice were straws were left uncut. For length of panicles, number of grains per panicle and weight of 1000 grains, generally those cut in ground level performed better. In terms of yield, the effect of height of ratooning varies with the methods of planting. For rice plants planted in straight-row, highest yield (44.15 cavans per hectare) was obtained in Treatment C were straws were left uncut. In contrast, the randomly planted rice highest yield (24.27 cavans per hectare) was obtained in Treatment A were straws were cut at ground level. Medium height (Treatment B) gave the highest grain yield (18.63 cavans per hectare) directly seeded rice.