Crop Establishment Methods and Integrated Nutrient Management Improve: Part I. Crop Performance, Water Productivity and Profitability of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the Lower Indo-Gangetic Plain, India

Abstract

In the eastern part of India, rice as the most vital staple food crop supports as well the livelihood security of a vast population. Rice is mostly grown under conventional flooded culture without proper nutrient management. Crop performance, water productivity and economic profitability of rice cultivation need to be assessed under water-saving rice production methodologies with proper integrated plant nutrient management strategies using locally available low-cost nutrient sources. A field trial was conducted at the Adaptive Research Farm, Polba (58.57 m msl), Agriculture Department, West Bengal, India, during the rainy/wet seasons of 2014 and 2015 under aerobic culture, the system of rice intensification (SRI) and conventional flooded culture. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of integrated plant nutrition and water-saving rice production methodologies on the crop performance and water productivity of rice and analyse the economic profitability of rice under different nutritional management and crop production methods such as aerobic culture, conventional flooded and SRI with an objective of sustainability in rice cultivation in the agroclimatic region. The results revealed that crop productivity significantly (p ≤ 0.05) varied from 4.68 t ha−1 (average yield recorded under aerobic culture) to 6.21 t ha−1 (average yield as achieved under SRI). Cultivation of rice under aerobic and conventional culture resulted in 24.6% and 20.9% yield reduction respectively as compared to SRI. Integrating 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through chemicals with 25% RDN from vermicompost resulted in maximum crop productivity irrespective of crop culture. Aerobic rice culture registered maximum water economy in terms of both irrigation water productivity and total productivity. The study concludes that, for maximization of economic profitability, value cost ratio and partial factor productivity of nutrients the SRI method can be adopted along with integrated nutrient management (75% of RDN through chemicals with 25% RDN from vermicompost) in the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain Zone (IGPZ) of West Bengal, India.

Integrated Nutrient Management Improves the Growth and Yield of Rice and Greengram in a Rice—Greengram Cropping System under the Coastal Plain Agro-Climatic Condition

“…This demand cannot be met by the sole use of chemical or organic nutrient inputs for plants; rather, a combination of both is more practical, economical, and viable for the producers, end-users, and soil environment [ 7 , 8 ]. A judicious and rational fertiliser usage can advertently enhance productivity and improve rice quality [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Crop Establishment Methods and Integrated Nutrient Management Improve: Part II. Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiency and Soil Health in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Field in the Lower Indo-Gangetic Plain, India

“…The total rainfall received during the experimental years was 771.8 mm and 1090.6 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. For details of the meteorological condition, refer to the recently published first part of this article [15].…”

“…The main plots treatments comprised C 1 : aerobic culture, C 2 : the system of rice intensification, C 3 : conventional flooded rice and sub-plot treatments consisting of absolute control (F 1 ) and the rest were F 2 : 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) through chemical fertilizers (N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O (80:40:40)), F 3 : 75% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through chemical fertilizer + 25% RDN through farm yard manure (FYM), F 4 : 75% RDN through chemical fertilizer + 25% RDN through vermicompost F 5 : 50% RDN through chemical fertilizer + 25% RDN through FYM + brown manuring (coculture of Sesbania aculeata at 30 kg/ha and knocking down with the application of 2-4 D ethyl ester at 0.75 kg a.i./ha), F 6 : 50% RDN through chemical fertilizer + 25% RDN through vermicompost + brown manuring, F 7 : F 5 + soil application of biofertilizer Azospirillium brassilense at 2 kg/ha, F 8 : F 6 + soil application of biofertilizer Azospirillium brassilense at 2 kg/ha. Details of the treatments are available in the recently published first part of this article [15].…”

“…Sufficient drainage channels were created in aerobic plots to minimize the influence of rainfall along with suitable buffer drainage channels to be utilized to prevent seepage of water from the flooded plots to aerobic plots, and all the main plots were bounded properly to avoid movement of water and fertilizer. Details of the experimental procedures are available in the recently published first part of this article [15].…”

“…ture, information pertaining to these parameters are scant under the backdrop of alluvial soils of Indo-Gangetic Plains in the eastern part of India [15].…”