Impact of Anhydrous Ammonia and Irrigation Intervals on Rice Yield under Drill Seeded Method

Abstract

Strategies of regulated irrigation and fertilization are one of the most practical ways in saving irrigation water and N-fertilizer of farmland in Egypt. Irrigation intervals and anhydrous ammonia injection were studied using Giza178 rice cultivar at the Experimental Farm of Rice Research and Training Center (RRTC), Sakha Agriculture Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt, during 2017 and 2018 seasons. To compare different levels of anhydrous ammonia (82 % N) with urea and various irrigation intervals on yield and yield attributes of Giza 178 rice cultivar as well as water use efficiency (WUE). Four irrigation intervals treatments namely; W1 (continuous flooding), W2 (irrigation every 4 days), W3 (irrigation every 8 days) and W4 (irrigation every 12 days) with three rates of anhydrous ammonia; T1=195 kg N/ha (80 units/fed), T2= 165 kg N/ha (70 units/fed), T3=143 kg N /ha (60 units/fed) plus check treatment, T4= 165 kg N/ha as form urea (70 units/fed) were used. The field experimentwas laid out in strip design with four replications.The main obtained results indicated that Giza178 produced higher grain yield and its attributes under continuous flooding (W1) without any significant decrease in yield up to irrigation every 8 days (W3) and significantly decreased underirrigation every 12 days (W4) treatment in both seasons.The application of anhydrous ammonia at the rate of195kg N /ha (T1)significantly increased rice yield and relatively mitigated the undesirable effect of water stress resulted in increase the water use efficiency (WUE) and water saved %.The values of water saved were (22.99 and 22.60%) underirrigation every 8 days (W3) when combined withanhydrous ammonia at the rate of 195kg N /ha (T1) compared to continuous flooding, while,the water saved under W4 was about 25.47 and 25.43% but with reduction in grain yield (9.47 and 10.04 %) in 2017 and 2018seasons respectively.The interaction betweenanhydrous ammonia at the rate of 195 kg N /ha (T1)integrated with irrigation every 8 days (W3) treatments under drill seeded method had significant positive effect on grain yield and water savewhich can help savingirrigation water and increase the productivity.