Abstract

                                Field experiment was conducted at Central farm, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, during Rabi 2009 - 2010 to study the impact of azophosmet and humic acid on growth, yield and economics of rice under drip fertigation system. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Two rice varieties were tested as first factor (V1 PMK (R) 3, V2 ARIZE 6444). In the second factor four management practices viz., T1-Drip irrigation at 125 % PE +100% RDF through drip, T2 -Drip irrigation at 150 % PE +100% RDF through drip, T3- Drip irrigation at 125 % PE +100 % RDF through drip + azophosmet + Humic Acid (HA), T4- Drip irrigation at 150 % PE + drip fertigation of 100 % RDF + azophosmet + humic acid. There was increase in rice root length and tillers per hill with drip irrigation at 150 per cent PE+ drip fertigation of 100 per cent RDF + azophosmet + humic acid which resulted in better crop growth, yield components and ultimately reflected on the grain yield, higher N, P, K uptake and economics. Drip irrigation at 150 per cent PE+ drip fertigation of 100 per cent RDF + azophosmet + humic acid recorded 19 per cent increased yield compared to drip irrigation at 125 per cent PE+100 per cent RDF through drip.

Key words : Rice, Drip fertigation, Root length, Tillers per hill, Azophosmet, Humic acid.