Influence of Different Management Practices and Fertilizer Levels on the Growth and Yield of Rice in Sodic Soil

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2017-2018 at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchirapalli to enhance the rice yield in sodic soil through combined application of different management practices and fertiliser level. The experiment was laid out in split plot with three replications. There are six main plot treatments viz., Rice transplanting (M1 ), Rice wet seeding (M2 ), Daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding (M3 ), Rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping (M4 ), Daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser (M5 ), Rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertiliser (M6 ). Subplot treatments consist of different levels of fertiliser viz., Control (S1 ), 75 % soil test based NPK (S2 ), 100% soil test based NPK (S3 ), 125 % soil test based NPK (S4 ). The result revealed that daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser recorded higher growth parameters like plant height, leaf area index, dry matter production, total number of tillers m-2, yield attributes viz., productive tillers, length of panicle, weight of panicle and thousand grain weight which was on par with rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertilizer (M6 ). Among the different fertiliser levels, 125% soil test based NPK (S4 ) significantly increased the growth parameters, nutrient uptake and availability of micronutrients as compared to other treatments. Grain and straw yield were significantly higher under daincha incorporation followed by rice wet seeding + biofertiliser which was on par with rice wet seeding + daincha inter cropping + biofertiliser respectively. Among the fertiliser level 125 % soil test based NPK recorded significantly higher grain and straw yield which was on par with 100 % soil test based NPK. Application of extra dose of fertiliser from the base dose of 100 % soil test based NPK does not make any yield difference. Hence 100 % of soil test based NPK is economical for producing optimum yield of rice in sodic soil which can be recommended for higher productivity of rice under sodic soil condition.