M.P. Priyadharshini, S. Babu, A. Karthikeyan, G. Baradhan and K. Dhanasekaran
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation is highly energy-intensive due to extensive use of labour, machinery and synthetic fertilizers, necessitating strategies to improve energy use efficiency. A field experiment was conducted during Navarai (2024), Late Samba (2024) and Kuruvai (2025) at Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, to evaluate the influence of bio-drill radish and crop establishment methods on energy use efficiency (EUE) and energy productivity (EP) in rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight treatments and three rice varieties (ADT 37, BPT 5204 and ASD 16), comparing farmerâs practices with sunnhemp and radish-based green manuring integrated with direct seeding and mechanical transplanting. Energy analysis revealed clear numerical trends among treatments, although differences were statistically non-significant. Bio-drill radish treatments, particularly defoliated radish followed by direct seeding and mechanical transplanting, consistently recorded higher EUE and EP across varieties. Among the varieties, BPT 5204 exhibited superior energy performance. Improved energy efficiency was mainly attributed to reduced external energy inputs and enhanced biological contributions through improved soil structure and nutrient availability. Mechanical transplanting and direct seeding further improved energy efficiency by lowering labour and fuel requirements. The study indicates that integration of bio-drill radish with improved crop establishment methods is an effective approach for enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in rice production systems.