Effect of Crop Establishment Methods and Organic Weed Management on Nutrient Uptake, Soil Fertility, and Yield of Aromatic Rice (Oryza sativa L)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during Kharif, 2019 in an organic block of Instructional-cum-Research farm of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India to evaluate the effects of systems of rice establishment and organic weed management practices on the yield, nutrient uptake, and soil fertility of aromatic rice variety Kola joha. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with systems of establishment in the main plot and organic weed management practices in the subplot. The transplanting method of establishment resulted in a significantly higher grain yield of 18.17 quintal/hectare (q ha-1) and nutrient uptake over the direct seeded method. Among the organic weed management practices, the highest grain yield (21.95 q ha-1) and nutrient uptake were recorded with hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAT/DAS which was followed by intercropping of dhaincha and incorporation at 40 DAT/ DAS (16.90 q ha-1). The highest available N content (260.86 Kg ha-1) in post-harvest soil was recorded with intercropping of dhaincha and incorporation at 40 DAT whereas the highest available P2O5 and K2O contents of soil were recorded with hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAT/DAS.