Effect of Sewage Sludge Integration with Fertilizer on Growth Parameters of Rice-wheat Cropping System

Abstract

A two-year field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, in 2019–2021 to assess the growth attributes performance of rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) as influenced by the concurrent application of sewage sludge (SSL) and chemical fertilizer. The treatments comprised of control, 100% RDF [recommended dose of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)], 100% RDF +20 t ha-1SSL, 100% RDF +30 t ha-1SSL, 50% RDF +20 t ha-1SSL, 60% RDF+20 t ha-1SSL, 70% RDF +20 t ha-1SSL, 50% RDF +30 t ha-1SSL, 60% RDF +30 t ha-1SSL, and 70% RDF +30 t ha-1. The experiments used a randomized block design with three replications, the results revealed that when using 100% RDF with 20 and 30 t ha-1SSL, rice and wheat growth and yield attributes were superior to when using 100% RDF alone. However, 70% RDF+ 30 t ha-1SSL provided a comparable or better growth yield than 100% RDF in RWCS. In conclusion, the use of SSL in conjunction with chemical fertilizer, i.e., 70% RDF with 20 and 30 t ha-1SSL, provided a higher yield advantage with no harmful or negative impact on the soil system and could be recommended as a potential organic amendment for a sustainable agricultural production system.