Influence of Age of Seedlings and Planting Geometry on Yield and Economics of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field study was carried out during the Kharif season of 2024 at the Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.). The experimental site had sandy loam soil with a pH of 7.8. The soil contained 0.72% organic carbon and available nutrients of 178.48 kg nitrogen, 27 kg phosphorus, and 233 kg potassium per hectare. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Block Design consisting of ten treatments, each replicated three times. Among the treatments, the combination of 28-day-old seedlings planted at a spacing of 30 cm x 10 cm produced the highest results, including grain yield of 6.66 t/ha, straw yield of 14.89 t/ha, and a harvest index of 30.57%. This treatment also achieved the best economic returns with a gross income of INR 181,341.85 per hectare, net income of INR 134,295.85 per hectare, and a benefit-cost ratio of 2.85.