INTEGRATED NUTRIENT SUPPLY FOR SUSTAINABLE RICE PRODUCTION IN AN ACID ALFISOL

An experiment was conducted for two years to assess the effect of inorganic and organic sources of nitrogen on plant nutrition and soil fertility for sustained rice production grown on an add silty clay loam soil. Greenmanuring of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) with 25% of recommended dose of nitrogen (30 kg N/ha) produced as much rice as recommended dose (120 kg N/ha) of nitrogen (5.8 t/ha). Thus, about 90 kg N/ha in the form of chemical fertilizer could be saved through this practice. Among the different organic sources of nitrogen, dhaincha and sunnhemp proved significantly superior to FYM and BGA. Combined use of inorganic sources of nitrogen increaSed the organic carbon content, N, P, K and decreased the bulk density of the soil.