Effect of various silicon sources on nutrient uptake by rice and available nutrient status in soil

Abstract

Silicon nutrition is gaining importance in agriculture owing to its positive effects in rice production. A field experiment was carried out at the farmer’s field in Kerala during Kharif, 2016 to evaluate different silicon sources on nutrient uptake by rice and available nutrient status of soil after the harvest. Field was laid out in randomised block design with seven treatments and replicated three times. Different silicon sources viz., potassium silicate, fine silica, rock dust, rice husk ash were involved in the treatments and fertilizer application was done according to the recommended dose of fertilizers as per Kerala Agricultural University, Package of Practice. Silicon nutrition have shown significant influence on the total nutrient uptake by the crop and available soil nutrient status of soil after the harvest. Among the treatments, fine silica @ 50 kg ha-1 + rice husk ash @ 250 kg ha-1, has shown the better results with respect to nutrient uptake by the crop and available nutrient status of the soil after the harvest.