Effect of Fertigation and Residue Management on Soil Health and Performance of Direct Seeded Rice in Rice -wheat Rotation

Abstract

Thesis title: "Effect of fertigation and residue management on soil health and performance of direct seeded rice in rice wheat rotation" A field experiment entitled "Effect of fertigation and residue management on performance of direct seeded rice in rice wheat rotation" was conducted during kharif2012 and 2013. Ten treatments consisting fertigation (5) and residue management (2) were tested in a split plot design with three replication considering irrigation techniques as a main plot and residue management sub plot. The soil of experimental field was alkaline in reaction with 0.33 percent organic carbon, 180 kg ha-1 available nitrogen and 47 kg ha-1 available phosphorous and 346 kg ha-1 potassium. Hybrid rice variety Arize 6129 was sown as a test crop. Data were recorded for growth, yield, plant were analyzed for N,P,K to workout uptake and some chemical, physical and biological properties were determined. A vail able data were subjected to statistical analysis on which basis treatments effect were explained. Results reveal that drip fertigation performed better by recording significantly higher plant height, tiller density, biomass production and yield attributing characters than the combination of sprinkler system during both the years. Drip fertigation system did not differ significantly from flood RDF in these parameters. Grain, straw, N and K content as well as uptake was significantly higher with drip fertigation while no effect was found in case of grain P content. Periodic availability of N and K was significantly higher with drip fertigation than the other combination. However, P availability remained unaffected during both the years. Soil reaction, salt concentration also remained unaffected during both the years. MBC and MBN differ significantly and higher value was recorded with drip fertigation. Measured physical properties after rice harvest viz bulk density at various depths and infiltration also remained unaffected due to different combination. Finally maximum grain and straw yield of rice statistically at par to flood RDF and significantly higher than the remaining combinations was found with drip fertigation. Drip fertigation yielded 24.9 to 28.09, 19.0 to 23.0, 10.7 to 14.0 and 3.2 to 7.00 percent higher than sprinkler RDF, sprinkler fertigation, drip RDF and flood RDF. A significant interaction effect of fertigation and residue management on grain yield of rice was found. Significantly higher water use efficiency than the remaining combinations were found with drip fertigation. Water use efficiency was lowest with flood RDF. Growth parameters, yield attributing characters, grain and straw yield, grain and straw nutrient content . and uptake availability of nutrients in soil. MBC, MBN, infiltration rate, bulk density and water use efficiency increased significantly with residue incorporation while soil reaction and salt content remained unaffected. The net return and benefit cost ratio was higher with drip fertigation. The study reveal that drip irrigation coupled with fertilizer application could be option of precise nutrient and water management of direct seeded rice since it yielded more w;t~ cost raHo.