MSc

The experiment entitled “Effect of different types of fertilizers as influenced by adjuvants on FUE and yield of upland rice” was undertaken in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, during May 2015 to September 2015. The main objectives of the study were to assess the possibility of enhancing nutrient use efficiency of rice by using water soluble fertilizers and adjuvants, to study the impact of foliar fertilizers and adjuvants on growth and productivity of upland rice and to work out the economics.
The field experiment was laid out in randomised block design with 10 treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of four foliar nutrients viz., (F1) 19:19:19 (1%), (F2) 13:0:46 (1%), (F3) urea 5% + SOP 1.5% and (F4) urea 1.5% + SOP 1.5% and two adjuvants, adjuvant category I (A1) and adjuvant category II (A2) with KAU POP (soil application of FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + 60:30:30 kg N P2O5 and K2O ha-1 (Control 1) and soil application of FYM @ 5 t ha-1 (Control 2) as two control treatments. Foliar fertilizers were given in 3 stages viz., at maximum tillering, panicle emergence and flowering.
The results revealed that growth attributes like plant height, tillers m-2, leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter production (DMP) were significantly influenced by foliar nutrients. Among the foliar nutrients, F4 (urea 5% + SOP 1.5 %) recorded the highest plant height at harvest stage only while tillers m-2 and DMP were significantly higher with F4 at all growth stages. LAI recorded was the highest with F4 and was on a par with F3 at all growth stages. Adjuvant category-I recorded the highest LAI at panicle emergence and harvest stages. All growth attributes were superior for Kerala Agricultural University package of practices recommendations (KAU POP) i.e, Control 1, compared to the application of 5 t of FYM alone (Control 2). Foliar nutrition with urea 5% + SOP 1.5% along with adjuvant 1 (f4a1) recorded the highest LAI at panicle emergence and harvest stages.
All the yield attributing characters viz., productive tillers m-2 (482.50), panicle length (26.66 cm), spikelets panicle-1 (137.22), number of filled grains panicle-1 (131.22) and thousand grain weight (25.98 g) were significantly superior with foliar nutrition of urea 5% + SOP 1.5% ( F4 ). KAU POP produced more filled grains panicle -1 compared to treatments. Foliar nutrition with F4 registered lesser number of days to attain 50 per cent flowering. Dry matter partitioning towards shoot portion and panicles were significantly influenced by foliar nutrients. Among the foliar nutrients, significantly higher shoot weight percentage and panicle weight percentage were noticed with F4 and it was on a par with F3. Among the foliar nutrients, F4 (urea 5% + SOP 1.5%) recorded significantly higher grain (5.76 t ha-1) and straw yield (6.99 t ha-1). The grain yield (5.02 t ha-1) registered by adjuvant I was higher than adjuvant II (4.54 t ha-1).

Foliar application of urea 5% + SOP 1.5 % (F4) recorded significantly higher uptake of N (145.35 kg ha-1), P (10.49 kg ha-1) and K (145.05 kg ha-1). Significantly higher crude protein content (8.31 per cent) in grain was also registered by F4. The disease and pest incidences never reached the threshold level and hence uniform score was given to all plots.

Economic analysis revealed that gross income ( 121494 ha-1), net income ( 51036 ha-1), per day returns ( 464) and B:C ratio (1.72) were significantly higher for F4. Adjuvant I recorded significantly higher net income ( 37100 ha-1), B:C ratio (1.52) and per day returns ( 337) compared to adjuvant II.

Based on the present study, basal application of farm yard manure (5 t ha-1), full dose of P, half dose of N and K (30 :30:15 kg ha-1) along with foliar application of urea 5% + SOP 1.5 % with an adjuvant having translocation character at three different growth stages viz., maximum tillering, panicle emergence and flowering can be recommended for realising maximum yield and profit in upland rice.