International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
M Venkata Lakshmi, D Sudha Rani and K Revathi

abstract
Rice is the most predominant crop in Krishna district which offers food more than 70 percent of the population. Rice crop is most sensitive to salinity at seedling and reproductive stages which causes highest yield loss. Salt affected soils such as saline soils are present in the coastal belt in and around Machilipatnam division, Koduru, Nagayalanka, mandals and farmers are growing the normal varieties, they were not aware of saline tolerant varieties in terms of yield, acceptability and its adoption potential during kharif season. Frontline demonstrations were conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ghantasala during Kharif 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 across 15 villages of Krishna district to demonstrate suitable saline tolerant rice varieties MCM-100 & MCM-103 for saline patches. Pooled data of four years revealed that demo variety MCM-100 (Pandu Ranga), MCM-103 had shown highest average yield (58.8 q ha^-1, 53.4 q ha^-1) as compared to BPT-5204 (50.8 q ha^-1) under saline condition. Hence cultivation of saline tolerant rice varieties (MCM-100 & MCM-103) along with management practices will minimize the yield loss in saline soils.