Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted at the Instructional Farm attached to
the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the late first crop season of 1999
to study the effect of nutrient management and seed priming on upland rice
under varying levels of irrigation.
The experiment was laid out ill split split plot design with three
replications. The treatments included three levels of irrigation (IW /CPE ratio
of 1.5, 1.0 and no irrigation) in the main plots, three levels of NPK (20 : 10 :
15, 40 : 20 : 30 and 60 : 30 : 45 kg ha-I) in the sub plots and two levels of
seed priming (1 per cent KCI and 2.5 per cent KCl immersed for 15 hours) in
the sub sub plots.
Results of the experiment revealed that effect of both irrigation and
nutrients and their combinations had significant influence on most of the
biometric and yield attributing characters of upland rice. Irrigation at an
IW/CPE ratio of 1.5 and fertilizer dose 'of 60 : 30 : 45 kg ha" NPK were
found significantly superior to lower levels. Eventhough, the effect of seed
priming was significant on almost all the growth characters, the effect was not
visible on the yield attributing characters and yield of the crop.
Irrigation and fertilizer treatments exerted a remarkable influence on
the proline content of leaves and grain protein content while irrigation alone
exerted significant influence on RL WC and partitioning of biomass.
The uptake of nutrients was profoundly influenced by the treatments. N
and P uptake was influenced by irrigation and NPK levels whereas that of K
was influenced by nutrient and seed priming levels.
.
The root morphology was substantially altered by irrigation treatments
and I I recorded the highest value for all the characters studied. Though WUE
was highest at the no irrigation treatment (13) it was very inferior and
uneconomic III grain and straw yields. Hence, h level of irrigation is
considered as the best treatment for attaining higher WUE. Among the
fertilizer levels, F 3 (60 : 30 : 45 kg ha-I NPK) registered the highest WUE.
Impact of seed priming also was significant and S I recorded the highest WUE.
The results of economic analysis revealed that BC ratio was maximum
when the irrigation was scheduled at an IW /CPE ratio of 1.5. The nutrient
dose at F3 (60 : 30 : 45 kg NPK ha-I) and seed priming at SI (1 per cent KCI)
was also found to be profitable.
