Abstract
The experiment was conducted in irrigated lowlands and followed alternate wetting and drying (AWD) practices by using field water tubes. The site had sandy clay soil. Grain yield was 6.0–7.2 t ha −1 with AWD irrigation and 7.5 t ha −1 with continuous submergence irrigation. Non‐significant ( P > 0.05) difference was registered in yield attributes and grain yield between continuous submergence of irrigation and I 5 (AWD irrigation regime of 5 cm submergence depth from 15 DAT (days after transplanting) to physiological maturity when the ponded water level drops to 5 cm below ground level) and I 6 (AWD irrigation regime of 5 cm submergence depth from 15 DAT to physiological maturity when the ponded water level drops to 10 cm below ground level). There was a decrease in yield attributes and grain yield with the I 4 (AWD irrigation regime of 3 cm submergence depth from 15 DAT to physiological maturity when the ponded water level drops to 15 cm below ground level). Of various irrigation regimes, AWD irrigation regimes of I 5 ( 57 900 ha −1 ) and I 6 ( 56 500 ha −1 ) registered higher net returns with a B: C ratio of 1.27 and 1.29, respectively, owing to higher grain yield coupled with lower application of water. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.