Effect of different nutrient sources, their dose and mode of application on profitability of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Introduction

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) belonging to Poaceae family, is the world's most important food crop, has been grown for more than 6000 years in South Asia. Currently, rice is the staple food for about four billion people i.e., half of the humankind on the planet. Rice fields cover around 166 million hectares in a wide range of climatic conditions spanning from 44 ⁰ N in North Korea to 35 ⁰ S in Australia. Since last two years the country has recorded the highest rice production of about 125 million tons with productivity of 4.11t ha -1 (USDA 2022). It is the staple food for more than two third of Indian population contributing more than 40% to the total food grain production, thereby, occupies a pivotal role in the food and livelihood security of people. In India, rice plays a major role in diet, economy, employment, culture and history. It is estimated that about 120 and 140 Mt of rice would be required by 2025 and 2050, respectively in India. In addition, India is exporting about 10 Mt of rice per year, which earns valuable foreign exchange for the country. There is a growing middle-class, rice-consuming population in domestic as well as international markets. This will increase the demand for high-quality rice creating great opportunities for India for exporting basmati and high-quality non-basmati rice. This increased production has to necessarily come from increased productivity rather than increase in area under rice and that too under deteriorating soil, water and other natural resources. Rice farmers and Researchers are facing new challenges of climate change, low water availability, poor soil health, low nutrient use efficiency and increased emergence of insects and diseases. There is now growing concern that non-price factors such as declining scope for further gains from existing modern varieties, deteriorating soil and ground water supplies, and reduced public investment in research have contributed to poor productivity growth in recent years. The challenge is to integrate productivity and profitability improvement of rice while enhancing the climate resilience and quality of the environment on which production depends.

Therefore, balanced and integrated application of nano nutrients, biofertilizers, bio stimulants and inorganic fertilizers should be a key factor in order to achieve sustainability in productivity and profitabilty.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was carried out at Crop Research Centre, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.) to study the effect of different nutrient sources, their dose and mode of application on profitability of Rice in Randomized Block Design with 12 treatments, replicated three times. The mean maximum temperature was noticed in June, which is the hottest month of the year, ranges from 31.1 °C to 43.1 °C and minimum temperature ranges from 16 °C to 26.5 °C. The mean annual rainfall is about 800 mm, of which nearly 80% is received in the monsoon period from July to September and the remaining in the period between Octobers to May. Mean relative humidity attains the maximum value (46.7 to 92.3%) during the monsoon season and the minimum (26.3 to 72.7%) during the summer months. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen (222.7 kg ha -1 ) and organic carbon (0.43%), medium in available phosphorous (12.8 kg ha -1 ) and potassium (234.2 kg ha -1 ) and slightly alkaline (pH 7.7) in reaction with electrical conductivity of 0.23 dS m -1 . The gross and net plot size were 5 m X 4 m and 4 m X 2.8 m respectively. The crop variety Pusa Basmati 1637(PB-1637) was sown on 10-06-2022 & 06-06-2022, transplanted on 05-07-2022 & 03-07-2023 and harvested on 31-10-2022 & 28-10-2023. The seed rate was 20 kg ha -1 . Pregerminated seeds were used in nursery. Recommended practices were adopted for nursery raising. Seedling was transplanted manually in the rows with the help of nylon rope at 20 cm x 15 cm spacing. The fertilizers @ 120-60-40 kg, N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O ha -1 , were applied in experiment. Nitrogen was applied through urea & DAP, P 2 O 5 from DAP and K 2 O through MOP. One third dose of nitrogen (RDN) and full dose of P 2 O 5 , K 2 O and ZnSO 4 as basal was applied at the time of transplanting. Rest half amount of nitrogen was applied in two equal split, 1/4 th dose was top dressed at active tillering stage and remaining dose was applied at panicle initiation stage through urea. Zinc was applied @ 5 kg ha -1 in respective treatments in the form of ZnSO 4 . The NPK (18:18:18) complex is a 100% water soluble fertilizer, containing 18% Nitrogen, 18% Phosphorus and 18% Potassium as its grade. It was sprayed @ 15 g litre -1 in 500 litre as per the treatments. Nano N-@ 4 ml L -1 and Bio Nano Zinc @ 10 ml L -1 in 500 L water each were sprayed at 40 DAT as per treatments. NPK consortia was applied through root dipping of seedlings for 20-30 minutes @ 500 ml liquid biofertilizer in 4-5 litres of water. Biostimulant Sagarika (Seaweed fortified granules were applied @ 8-10 kg/acre at transplanting as per treatments. One hand weeding was done and 8 irrgiations were given at different intervals. At harvest, no of grains per panicle, test weight, grain yield and straw yield were calculated. Economics of treatments were computed on the basis of prevailing market price of inputs and outputs under each treatment. The total cost of cultivation of crop was calculated on the basis of different operations performed and materials used for raising the crop including the cost of fertilizers and seeds. The cost of labour incurred in performing different operation was also included. Statistical analysis of the data was done as per the standard analysis of variance technique for the experimental designs following SPSS software-based programme, and the treatment means were compared at p˂0.05 level of probability using t-test and calculating CD values.

Results and Discussion

From the data presented in Table 1 it can be inferred that the application of nutrients through different sources, doses and mode of application had significant influence on yield of rice during both the years (2022 & 2023) of experimental study. The maximum value of grain yield (45.6 & 46.4 q ha -1 ) was recorded in T 12 (75% NPK+ Zn 5 kg ha -1 + Bio-stimulants + Nano N + Nano Zn spray at 40 DAT) which was significantly higher than rest of the treatments. In case of straw yield, it was found that higher value (63.8 & 64.4 q ha -1 ) was recorded in T 12 (75% NPK+ Zn 5 kg ha -1 + Biostimulants + Nano N + Nano Zn spray at 40 DAT) and was statiscally at par with T 7 (100% NPK + NPK Consortia). The lowest value of grain yield (22.8 & 23.6 q ha -1 ) and straw yield (39.2 & 40.4 q ha -1 ) was obtained in T 1 (Control). The maximum grain yield was recorded due to the integrated application of various nutrient sources such as inorganic nutrients (75% NPK + Zn), Nano N & Nano Zn spray and Biostimulants through soil, foliar spray and Seedling treatment respectively. Because of the availability of nutrients from nutrients sources, especially during the early phases of crop growth, and the subsequent gradual and steady supply of nutrients by organic matter, the combination of different nutrients sources produces a better result. Also, the profound influence of combined application of both macro and micro essential nutrients led to achievement of higher straw yield. These results are in conformity with the findings of Pramanick et al. 2014 [8] , Singh et al, 2015, Modi et al., 2022 [3] , Meenakshi et al., 2022, Sahu et al., 2022 [6] and Sharma et al., 2023. Nutrient management practices consisting of nutrients from different sources, doses and mode of application had significant influence on economics of rice. The highest value of gross returns were obtained in Gross returns ( 119456 & 133874 ha -1 ) were obtained in T 12 . Although. Also high net returns and BCR from T 7 might be due to the less cost of NPK consortia and comparitively better growth during the early stages of crop growth. Similar findings were reported by Mondal et al., 2020 [1] , Mote et al, 2022 [5] , Meenakshi et al, 2022 and Sharma et al., 2023 [2] , Namasharma et al. 2023 [2] .

Conclusion

From the above results it can be concluded that the application of 75% NPK+ Zn 5 kg ha -1 + Bio-stimulants + Nano N + Nano Zn spray at 40 DAT resulted in significantly higher grain yield in rice with better economic reutrns (Gross returns, Net returns and Benefit cost Ratio) in Rice.

References

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