Productive performance of rice as affected by Glyricidia leaf manuring in conjunction with fertilizer nitrogen
Field experiments were conducted on sandy clay loam soils of Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla to study the influence of Glyricidia Leaf Manuring (GLM) in conjunction with fertilizer nitrogen on productivity of rice during wet seasons of 2007-08 and 2008-09. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with six treatments replicated for four times. The treatments consisted of three levels of fertilizer nitrogen applied alone and in conjunction with GLM @ 10 t ha-1 i.e,120 kg N ha-1 , 180 kg N ha-1, 240 kg N ha-1 , 120 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1, 180 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1, 240 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1 . Glyricidia leaf manure was incorporated in the field seven days before rice transplanting in respective treatments during both the years of study. The experimental soil was slightly alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium. Each unit increase in N level led to significant increase in growth characters, yield attributes, grain yield and straw yield of the crop. All the yield parameters such as productive tillers m-2, number of filled grains panile-1 and test weight recorded were maximum with the treatment that received 240 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1 , however, it was on a par with that of 240 kg N ha -1 alone(M3) or 180 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1 to those of the rest showing GLM incorporation showing an advantage of fertilizer nitrogen equivalent to 60 kg ha-1 in terms of rice productivity. Application of 240 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1 recorded higher grain yield (5672 and 5249 kg ha-1, respectively, during first and second year) and straw yield (6674 and 6032 kg ha-1, respectively, during first and second year), but these yields were on a par with those obtained with 180 kg N ha-1 + GLM @ 10 t ha-1 and 240 kg N ha-1 alone during both the years of the study. Overall, the study indicated clear advantage of Glyricidia Leaf Manuring in enhancing productivity of rice in conjunction with fertilizer nitrogen to a tune of replacement of fertilizer nitrogen 60 kg ha-1.
Author : N Venkata Lakshmi* and R Veeraraghavaiah
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