The rice plant at any point in time is composed of leaves of physiologically dierent ages, so it follows that the leaves dier in their contributions to the growth of the whole plant and its grain yield. As the leaf chlorophyll content (Soil Plant Analytical Division value) is the best indicator of photosynthetic activity in rice, the chlorophyll content of rice before and after¯owering was determined in a weed management ®eld experiment on direct wet seeded rice. The results indicated that the leaf chlorophyll content at 79 days after sowing correlated well with the grain yield of rice. Multiple regression models also indicated the dependence of rice yield on leaf chlorophyll content before and after¯owering.

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Intensive irrigated rice system is the most important food production system in the world. Continued population growth necessitates increased rice production to meet the increased need of food production through increased rice productivity to ensure food security. In contrast, the recent slowdown in yield growth in intensive irrigated rice‐based cropping systems as a result of deterioration of soil health and decline in productivity level is a serious cause for concern. The objective of this research was to investigate the soil organic carbon (SOC) build‐up and its dynamics in rice–rice cropping system by including a green manure (GM) crop Sesbania rostrata Berm. either during fallow and/or intercrop at 4 : 1 ratio as additive series without changing rice geometry. The results revealed that there is a gradual build‐up of SOC when S. rostrata included and in situ incorporated at flowering stage as a basic means of improving soil quality in rice–rice cropping system. Further, the soil organic matter fractions viz. humic acid and fulvic acid were also improved in all GM‐incorporated systems. In general, the proportion of fulvic acid was higher than humic acid. Cropping system involving three GMs viz. S. rostrata‐rice/S. rostrata‐rice/S. rostrata registered significantly higher SOC and was 10.63 percent higher than traditional rice–rice cropping system (A1). This was followed by S. rostrata‐rice/S. rostrata‐rice system. Although the traditional rice–rice cropping system (A1) also conserved SOC (0.29 and 1.69 % higher than initial during first and second annual cropping cycle, respectively), the magnitude was very low. Repeated application of S. rostrata as GM improved SOC, which formed the basis for sustainable management of soil resources. It can be concluded that S. rostrata would affect the rate of loss of SOC in cropping systems and its ultimate level in soils.

Field experiments were conducted with rice (ADT-39) during the wet Kharif season (July-October 2001) at two locations, the Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (TRRI) farm, Aduthurai (Vertisol) and the Agricultural Research Station (ARS) farm, Pattukkottai (Alfisol), representing the old and new delta areas of the Cauvery, respectively. The same set of treatments was followed in both soils. The treatments consisted of the recommended NPK fertilizer application at 75% and 100% alone, and 10 or 20 kg ha -1 humic acid (HA) in combination with NPK fertilizers as soil application, besides an integrated method involving soil application, root dipping and foliar spraying with humic acid and NPK fertilizers. Initial soil samples from the experimental fields were analysed for physical, physico-chemical and chemical properties. Surface soil samples were collected at critical growth stages and analysed for various available nutrients. The results of the field experiments revealed that the application of humic acid along with inorganic fertilizers led to higher soil nutrient availability at all the growth stages of rice. Similar results were obtained in both Vertisol and Alfisol. The present investigation concluded that the best treatment for soil nutrient availability was 10 kg ha -1 HA (soil application) + 0.1% HA foliar spray (twice) + 0.3% HA root dipping + 100% NPK, which was on par with the treatment involving 20 kg ha -1 HA (soil application) + 100% NPK compared to the other treatments.

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