Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station, Moncompu, Kerala to find out the best integrated nutrient management practice for enhancing the yield and profitability of transplanted rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications in plots of 50 m2 during kharif 2011 and rabi 2011-12. The treatments comprised of four different integrated nutrient management practices and farmers practice of applying chemical fertilizers alone. The results revealed that application of magnesium sulphate (20 kg ha-1) with the recommended dose of NPK (90-45-15 kg ha-1), farm yard manure (5 t ha-1) and lime top dressing (250 kg ha-1) significantly improved the growth and yield attributes, uptake of nutrients and produced the highest grain yield of 7570 kg ha-1 and 3883 kg ha-1, respectively during kharif and rabi season. The stimulatory effect on plant growth by the inoculation of NPK bio-fertilizer (PGPR Mix-1) was found to be more pronounced when it was applied with half the recommended dose of NPK (45- 22.5-7.5 kg ha-1) and lime top dressing (250 kg ha-1) and recorded the highest benefit cost ratio (3.25 and 1.67) and net returns (71316 and 21146 Rs ha-1) with grain yield of 7355 kg ha-1 and 3520 kg ha-1, respectively during both the seasons.

Keywords: Integrated nutrient management, magnesium sulphate, NPK bio-fertilizer, PGPR, farmers practice, farm yard manure, lime top dressing