Integrated use of farmyard manure and sulfur for the growth and yield of rice

A field experiment was conducted in sulfur deficient soil to study the effect of farmyard manure and sulfur on the growth and yield of rice var. ADT 43. The treatments consisted of four levels of S applied through gypsum in the presence and absence of farmyard manure. The results revealed that the rice responded well to the application of sulfur and FYM. Physiological traits like CGR, RGR, NAR, LAI and chlorophyll content increased with S levels and highest value was noticed with 40 kg S ha-1 in the presence of FYM and declined thereafter with further rise in S level. The yield characters viz., number of panicles m-2, number of filled grains panicles-1, 1000 grain weight, grain and straw yield increased with S levels and highest grain and straw yield was noticed with 40 kg S ha-1 plus FYM @ 12.5 t ha-1. The per cent increase over control due to this treatment was 32.2 and 30.4 for grain and straw yield respectively. Response ratio was maximum at 20 kg S ha-1and declined with S levels. However, it was higher in the presence of FYM compared to sulfur alone.