Abstract:
One hundred Sri Lankan traditional rice cultivars were evaluated at 2011/2012 Maha and
2012 Yala seasons to understand the seasonal changes on yield and yield components
of individual rice cultivars. Experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture,
Kamburupitiya. Two week old seedlings were transplanted in the paddy field according to
a randomized complete block design with four replications. Twenty plants were planted in
a plot with spacing of 15 cm X 20 cm. Plant height (cm), number of tillers per plant, number
of fertile tillers per plant, filled grain percentage and yield/plant (g) were measured at
reproductive stage. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and mean separation was done by SAS
statistical software. Among evaluated cultivars 73, 38, 29, 35-and 44 cultivars increased
plant height, number of tillers/plant, number of fertile tillers/plant, filled grain percentage
and yield/plant respectively in Maha season compared to those of in Yala season. Thirty
four cultivars remained unchanged in total tiller number. Thirty six cultivars didn’t show
significant changes in number of fertile tillers/plant in Yala and Maha seasons. Filled
grain percentage of 60 cultivars didn’t change significantly with the season. Forty four
cultivars increased their yield/plant in Yala season while 32 cultivars remained constant
in both seasons. All the parameters of cultivar Hondarawala, Karayal, Dewaredderi,
Kotathavalu, Kokuvellai, Karayal, Karabewa, Muthumanikam, Induru Karayal, Dik
wee 328, Maha Murunga Badulla, Kaharamana and Jamis wee changed significantly
at two seasons. Among them cultivar Hondarawala, Kotathavalu, Kokuvellai, Karayal,
Karabewa, Muthumanikam, Dik wee 328 and Jamis wee increased all the parameters in
Maha compared to those of in Yala season. Cultivar Podi sudu wee didn’t show significant
difference in any parameter in Yala and Maha seasons. The best cultivating season for the
individual rice cultivar can be selected according to the performances of them in the both
seasons.
