TITLE:
Root Growth, Nutrient Uptake and Yield of Medicinal Rice Njavara under Different Establishment Techniques and Nutrient Sources
AUTHORS:
S. Rani, P. Sukumari
KEYWORDS:
Njavara Rice; Establishment Techniques; Nutrient Sources; Root Growth; Total Nutrient Uptake; Yield
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.4 No.8,
July
30,
2013
ABSTRACT: Field
experiments with medicinal rice Njavara were conducted at Cropping
Systems Research Centre, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
during summer of 2007 and 2008. The experimental design was split plot with
three replications. The treatments consisted of four establishment
techniques viz., System of
Rice Intensification SRI (M1), Integrated Crop Establishment
Method (ICM) (M2), Package of practices (PoP) (M3) of Kerala
Agricultural University and Conventional Management Practices (CMP) (M4)
in main plot. Three nutrient sources viz., (1) organic, 2) integrated use of
organic and inorganic, 3) chemical fertilizers only) were used under different
establishment techniques. Root dry matter production was determined at weekly
intervals and plant nutrients uptake was determined by calculating from the
product of dry matter, straw dry weight, grain yield and percentage of
nutrients. Results revealed that at early stages (4-6 WAT/WAS) (Weeks after
transplanting/Weeks after sowing), root dry matter production hill-1 was in the order of SRI > ICM > CMP > PoP
which changed to SRI > ICM > PoP > CMP from 7th week onwards. Maximum root dry matter (at 9th WAS/WAT) was
recorded in SRI (0.51/0.50 g.hill-1 in 2007/2008). The total nutrients uptake (N, P, K, Fe, Mn and
Zn) in conventional management practices was significantly higher
than other establishment techniques. Among the nutrient sources, higher total (N, P, K, Fe, Mn and Zn) uptake by crop was
recorded under integrated nutrient source than organic and
inorganic sources.