RESPONSE OF RICE TO BALANCED FERTILIZATION IN TYPIC USTIFLUVENT SOIL

Abstract

Balanced fertilizer uses in food grain crops including rice is one of the important considerations in providing 
food security to the burgeoning population and promoting soil quality in sustainable intensive agriculture. Wide 
spread negative nutrient balance in different production system can be overcome by adopting integrated nutrient 
management. Field experiments were conducted in farmers holding belonging to Padugai series (Typic 
Ustifluvents) to investigate the response of rice to balanced fertilization. The treatments employed in the study 
were T1) Control T2) Farmer‘s practice (125, 62.5, 62.5 kg N, P2O5, K2O), T3) 100% NPKS Zn (120: 38: 38: 20: 
5 kg N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn - kharif and 150: 50: 50: 20: 5 kg N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn - rabi), T4 ) T3  minus N, 
T5) T3 minus P, T6) T3 minus K, T7) T3 minus PK, T8) T3 minus S, T9) T3 minus Zn, T10 ) T3 minus S Zn, T11) 
75% NPK + S + Zn + PM @ 4 t ha-1 and T12) 50% NPK + S + Zn + PM @ 4 t ha-1. The test crop was rice with 
variety ADT 43 (Kharif) and BPT 5204 (Rabi). The experiment was conducted in RBD design with three 
replications. The highlight of the outcome was All the treatment caused a significant increase in growth and 
yield over control. The tallest plant, highest tiller count, LAI, chlorophyll content was observed with treatment 
involving 75% NPK + S + Zn + PM @4tha-1 and was closely followed by 100% NPKS Zn and 50% NPK + S + 
Zn + PM @ 4 t ha-1. The highest grain yield (5650, 6080 kg ha-1), straw yield (6910, 7418 kg ha-1), highest grain 
yield response (2905, 2925 kg ha-1), percent increase in grain (105.8, 116.9) and straw (108. 114.1) in kharif and 
rabi respectively was realised in 75% NPK + S + Zn + PM @ 4 t ha-1. There was perceptible reduction in growth 
and yield of rice, where there was omission of single or two nutrients in the fertilizer schedule.  To conclude, 
balanced fertilization with INM strategy not only maximizes the rice yield but also maintains soil health and 
nutrient savings