Assessment of soil fertility status under long term balance fertilizer application on rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Long-term fertility experiments are good indicators for monitoring soil quality and crop productivity and is of vital importance in nutrient management as well as soil health. The present study “Assessment of soil fertility status under long term balance fertilizer application on rice (Oryza sativa L.)” was conducted at A2 block of N. E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) during kharif 2017. These treatments were a part of long-term fertility experiment since 1984. Nine treatments out of fourteen consisting different combination of N, P, K, Znf and FYM were tested in a Randomized Block Design with four replications. The variety sown was HKR 47. It was noticed that addition of FYM had a positive effect on soil fertility parameters. The value of soil pH and EC were higher compared to the initial value in the fertility treatments. Soil organic matter after harvesting of rice also increased due to continuous application of NPK+FYMr and NPK+Zn+FYMr. The highest value of available nitrogen was recorded with N120P40K40+Znf+FYMr which was statistically at par with N120P40K40 +FYMr but significantly higher than all other treatments. The value of available P and K after harvest and available micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu) too were higher due to the application of N120P40K40+Znf+FYMr treatments. It has been observed that addition of FYM to fertilizer scheme has been found to increase microbial population in the soil which acts as a decomposer of crop. The experiment thus reported FYM as a complete source of nutrients for plant growth and development by supplying nutrients (macro and micro) through a process of recycling nutrients.