Influence of nutrient management options on growth and yield performance of basmati rice cultivars in the Indo-gangetic plains

A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif seasons of 2020 and 2021 at the research farm of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Modipuram, Uttar Pradesh, to assess the performance of Basmati rice cultivars under various nutrient management options. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three Basmati cultivars, viz. ‘Pusa Basmati 1121’, ‘Pusa Basmati 1509’, and ‘Pusa Basmati 1718’ in the main plots and 5 nutrient treatments, viz. Control, 100% Inorganic, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), 100% Organic, and Jeevamrit (5%) in subplots, replicated thrice. Results revealed that Pusa Basmati-1121 consis tently outperformed other varieties in plant height, effective tillers, dry matter accumulation, and yield-attributing traits. INM (50% organic + 50% inorganic) significantly enhanced vegetative and reproductive parameters, result ing in the highest grain yield (38.99 q/ha), panicle length (26.99 cm), filled grains per panicle (93.53), and harvest index (41.24%). In contrast, the Control and Jeevamrit (5%) recorded comparatively lower value. The application of Jeevamrit showed moderate higher fertility ratio and yield traits in comparison to control. The synergistic effect of INM supports balanced nutrient uptake, efficient biomass partitioning, and better grain development. The study was concluded that the combination of high-yielding varieties, viz. ‘Pusa Basmati 1121’ with INM offers a sustain able and productive strategy for Basmati rice cultivation in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.