Water and energy optimization are needed for sustainable production of

scented rice. The present study was, conducted to investigate the effect of
transplanting methods and irrigation schedules on water productivity and
energy use in this production system. The experiment was laid out in split
plot design with three methods of planting (Mechanical planting with 4
passes of puddling, mechanical planting with 2 passes of puddling and
manual planting with 4 passes of puddling) in the main plots and
combinations of two initial ponding durations (7 and 14 days) and four
subsequent irrigation schedules (2, 3, 4, and 5 days after disappearance of
ponded water) in sub-plots. The methods of transplanting with different
levels of puddling did not exhibit any significant effect on grain yield and
quality. However, mechanically and manually transplanted crop with 4
passes of puddling resulted in saving of 11.9 and 11.5 cm irrigation water
with 6.7 and 3.3% higher apparent water productivity than mechanically
transplanted crop with 2 passes of puddling, respectively. The energy
productivity was higher in mechanically transplanted crop with 2 passes of
puddling than in same system or the system of hand transplanting with 4
passes of puddling. Two weeks initial ponding after transplanting resulted
in 15.9% higher grain yield with significantly superior brown and milled rice
recoveries than one week of initial ponding. The energy input, energy
productivity and net return of 2 weeks ponding were 9.6, 5.7 and 20.9%
higher than one week ponding, respectively. Applying subsequent irrigation
at 2 and 3 days after disappearance of ponded water resulted in 12.9 &
24.6, and 8.4 & 19.6% higher grain yield as compared to irrigation at 4 and
5 days after disappearance of ponded water, respectively. Irrigation at 2
days after disappearance of ponded water resulted in the highest water
application (166.6 cm), which was 22.8, 31.0 and 46.3% higher than 3, 4
and 5 days after disappearance of ponded water, respectively. Apparent
crop water productivity, energy use efficiency and energy productivity was
higher under irrigation at 3 days after disappearance of ponded water while
net returns and benefit:cost ratio (B:C) was higher under irrigation at 2 days
after disappearance of ponded water. Thus, basmati rice can be
transplanted either mechanically or manually with 4 passes of puddling for
water saving. There must be 2 weeks initial ponding with subsequent
irrigation application at 3 days after disappearance of ponded water to
realize maximum productivity with quality grains.