Effect of micro nutrients application on growth and productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of different nutrient treatments in rice crop at Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut during kharif 2022 on clay loam soil, low in organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorous, zinc and iron and medium to high in available potassium and slightly alkaline in reaction to observe the effect of different nutrient treatments on growth, yield, quality, nutrient content and uptake, soil properties and economic returns. The treatments comprising of different combinations (10) of NPK, Zn and Fe with VAM {Control,100 % NPK, 100 % NPK + 25kg ZnSO4 ,100 % NPK+ 25 kg FeSO4, 100 % NPK + 25kg ZnSO4+25 kg FeSO4, 100 % NPK + 12.5 kg ZnSO4+12.5 kg FeSO4+VAM, 100 % NPK+ZnEDTA+FeEDTA, 100 % NPK + 0.5 % ZnSO4 at tillering and panicle initiation, 100 % NPK + 0.5 % FeSO4 at tillering and panicle initiation and 100 % NPK + 0.5 % ZnSO4 +0.5 % FeSO4 at tillering and panicle initiation}were tested in RBD with 3 replications. Rice variety PB-1637 was transplanted on 23rd July and harvested on 10th November, 2022 with recommended package of practices except the treatments. Growth, yield attributes and yield were significantly affected by different nutrients treatments. Zn, Fe, Zn+Fe and Zn+Fe+VAM application favored growth, yield attributes and yield when compared to 100 % NPK. Increase in grain yield when 100 % NPK was supplemented with 25kg ZnSO4 , 25kg FeSO4 ,25kg ZnSO4 + 25 kg FeSO4 ,12.5 kg ZnSO4 +12.5kg FeSO4 + VAM , ZnEDTA + FeEDTA,0.5% ZnSO4, ,0.5% FeSO4 and 0.5% ZnSO4+0.5% FeSO4 was 15.8,10.9,18.1,11.0,16.4,17.5,10.4 and 22.3 % over 100 %NPK respectively. Crop fertilized with 100 % NPK + 0.5% ZnSO4 + 0.5 % FeSO4 registered best of growth and yield attributes leading to higher grain yield (43.2 q ha-1).Favorable effect of Zn and Fe Rao et al. (2020) on growth and yield of rice have also been obtained. Application of Zn, Fe, Zn+Fe and Zn+ Fe +VAM along 100 % NPK led to an increase in nutrient content in plant tissues and therefore higher uptake of N, P, K, Zn and Fe. Contents of N, P, K, Zn and Fe in grains ranged from 1.10 to 1.33 % to 0.25 to 0.43 % ,0.21 to 0.39 % , 22.14 to 36.5 ppm and 67.04 to 114.47 ppm respectively, lowest being with no fertilizer and highest values with 100 % NPK + 0.5% ZnSO4 +0.5% FeSO4 at tillering and panicle initiation. Respective uptake ranges in grain were 29.5 to 57.5 kg ha-1 (N), 6.7 to 18.6 kg ha-1 (P), 5.6 to 16.8 kg ha-1 (K), 59.3 to 157.7g ha-1(Zn) and 179.7 to 550.0 g ha-1(Fe).In general, grains accumulated more N, P and Fe than straw while a reverse pattern was observed in case of K and Zn. Crop cultivation without fertilizer application resulted in negative nutrient balance in soil whereas application of nutrients had a favorable effect on nutrient replenishment. Crop grown with 100% NPK + 0.5% ZnSO4 + 0.5% FeSO4 fetched higher gross Name : Sweekruta Mohapatra I.D. No. : 6026 Sem. & Year of Admission : First Sem, 2021 Degree : M.Sc. Ag Major : Agronomy Minor : Soil Science & Agri. Chemistry Thesis title : “Effect of micro nutrients application on growth and productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.)” Advisor : Dr. Vivek, Professor and Dean, College of Agriculture returns(Rs. 1,22,920 ha-1) and net returns(Rs 81,684. ha-1),while the highest B:C ratio was with 100 % NPK+ZnEDTA+ FeEDTA(2.12) which was at par with 100 % NPK+25kg ZnSO4(2.11). These findings are in conformity with Yadav et al., (2009).