Production Enhancement of Scented Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Using Bio-fertilizer, Organic Manure and Micro-nutrients in Uttar Pradesh’s Central Plain Zone, India

Abstract

Nutrient management through organics plays a major role in maintaining soil health due to build-up of soil organic matter, beneficial microbes and enzymes, besides improving soil physical and chemical properties. Therefore, combined use of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers in an integrated manner will give better performance in cereals by sustaining higher yield and maintaining soil health as well. Field experiments were conducted during Kharif seasons of 2021 and 2022 at Crop Research Farm, Nawabganj, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The experiment consisted three  scented rice varieties (PB-1509, PB-1121 and PB-1), three bio-fertilizer and organic manure levels (BGA @ 10 kg ha-1, FYM @10 t ha-1 and BGA @ 10 kg ha-1 + FYM @10 t ha-1) and three nutrient management treatments (NPK- 120:60:60 kg ha-1 only, NPK + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 as basal + FeSO4 1% sprayed at tillering stage and NPK + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 as basal + FeSO4 1% sprayed at panicle initiation stage). The treatments were accommodated in split-split plot design with three replications. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture having low organic carbon (0.39 %), medium in available nitrogen (179 kg ha-1), low in available phosphorus (13.0 kg ha-1), medium in available potassium (156 kg ha-1), low in  available zinc (0.58 mg ha-1) and normal in available iron (7.83 mg ha-1) with normal pH (7.95). Pooled results of two years experimentation indicated that highest value of seeds per panicle (91.42, 87.61 and 82.87), grain yield per panicle (2.75 g, 2.85 g and 2.65 g), test weight (27.34 g, 27.23 g and 26.61 g), biological yield (16872.62 kg ha-1, 16755.51 kg ha-1 and 16154.61 kg ha-1), grain yield (6152.24 kg ha-1, 5431.41 kg ha-1 and 5214.79 kg ha-1), straw yield (10720.39 kg ha-1, 11324.10 kg ha-1 and 10939.79 kg ha-1) and harvest index (36.46 %, 32.26 % and 32.10 %) was recorded under the variety PB-1121, BGA @ 10 kg ha-1 + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 and NPK (120:60:60 kg ha-1) + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 as basal + FeSO4 1% sprayed at tillering stage respectively.