On Farm Testing of Rice Variety NDLR-7 as an Alternative to Traditionally Grown BPT-5204 in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh

Back Ground: Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) is major crop in Andhra Pradesh being cultivated in 22.11 lakh ha average productivity of 3350Kg/ha Local BPT-5204 (samba mashuri) is high susceptibility to blast, sheath blight and gall midge. Since this is consumers’ preference both in the rural and urban markets, farmers are cultivating BPT-5204 though this variety is susceptibility to blast and BPH leads to high cost of cultivation .As an alternative to this NDLR-7 variety developed by Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Nandyal, ANGRAU NDLR-7 was tolerant to blast, BPH, sheath blight, leaf folders and gall midge. Methods: NDLR-7 was introduced by KVK, Banavasi through on farm trail during 2016-17 and this trial was continued for three years as an alternative to traditionally grown BPT-5204. Result: The data from the three years of on farm trail reveals that the cost of cultivation has drastically reduced from Rs. 66050/ha to 50,538/ha due to reduced use of pesticides. The yield in demonstration plot (NDLR-7) was 7437.5 Kg/ha compared to control (5812 Kg/ha).