Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

Rice varietal performance can vary across agro-climatic environments, making location-specific evaluation important in the Scarce Rainfall Zone of Andhra Pradesh. A field experiment was conducted at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, during the late kharif seasons of 2020–21, 2021–22 and 2022–23. Seven rice varieties (BPT-5204, NDLR-7, NDLR-8, NLR-3041, NLR-34449, NLR-33358 and BPT-2270) were evaluated in a Randomised Block Design with three replications. Phenology, leaf area index (LAI), root and shoot dry weight, yield attributes, grain yield and harvest index were assessed. NLR 33358 matured earliest (108 days), whereas BPT 2270 had the longest duration (164 days). BPT 5204 produced the highest number of productive tillers (416.5 m⁻²). NDLR 7 recorded the highest LAI at 30 and 60 DAP (2.0 and 6.4, respectively), while BPT 2270 recorded the highest LAI at 90 DAP and harvest (6.1 and 6.0, respectively). NLR 3041 maintained the highest root dry weight across all assessed stages. NDLR 7 recorded the highest number of seeds per panicle (255.4), whereas BPT 2270 recorded the highest test weight (16.6 g) and grain yield (7686 kg ha⁻¹). Harvest index did not differ significantly among varieties. The results demonstrate varietal differences in phenology, canopy development, biomass partitioning and yield performance, indicating that varietal selection under these lowland conditions should consider both productivity and crop duration.