Nutrient management with sulphur and non-sulphur bearing fertilizers and farmyard manure for sustaining productivity of rice (Otyza sativa) under intensive cropping system

A field experiment was conducted on clay loam soils of Kalyani, West Bengal, during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons of 2000–2001 and 2001–2002, to study the best integrated system of nutrient management with sulphur and non-sulphur bearing fertilizers and farmyard manure (FYM) on the productivity and nutrient uptake of kharif and boro rice (Oryza sativa L) under intensive cropping system. Maximum grain yields of both rainy season (4.66 tonnes/ha) and winter (5.47 tonnes/ha) rice were obtained in the sequence where greengram (Phaseolus radiatus L.) and lathyrus (Lathyrus sp.) were green manured before transplanting of rainy season and winter rice in addition to 75% of the recommended dose of N, P and K through non-sulphur bearing fertilizers (urea, diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash) along with FYM @ 10 tonnes/ha. Rice crop grown after greengram and lathyrus as green-manure or fodder crop along with 100% of the recommended dose of N, P and K through sulphur-bearing fertilizers (ammonium sulphate, diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash) also improved the grain yield of both rainy season and winter season rice. Higher uptake of nutrients by rice crops (rainy + winter season) also observed with the combined application of organic (FYM or green-manure) and inorganic fertilizers.