Abstract

Continuous use of chemical fertilizers without organic sources would lead to gradual decline of organic matter content and nutrient status in the soil, which results in lower rice production. It is well recognized that fertilizer use has a key to play in modern agriculture in increasing the productivity of rice both under rainfed and irrigated conditions. The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of recommended dose of fertilizers in combination with parthenium and chromolaena as green manure and their compost on production and economics of rainfed rice cultivation in relation to soil properties. A field experiment was conducted at farmer’s field, Aldur village, Chickmagalore taluk, Chickmagalore district, Karnataka state under rainfed condition. The soil of the experimental site was Typic Paleustalf. The treatment which received recommended dose of fertilizers in combination with chromolaena compost @ 7.5 t ha -1 recorded better plant height than that of control and treatment which received recommended dose of fertilizers alone at tillering, panicle initiation and at harvest stages. Similarly yield attributes of rice such as, number of grains per panicle, thousand grain weight and number of panicles per square meter were significantly higher in treatment received recommended dose of fertilizers and chromolaena compost @7.5 tonne per hectare than control. It can be concluded that the application of both parthenium and chromolaena @ 7.5 t ha -1 improves the growth and yield parameters and grain yield and also the nutrient status of the soil.

Keywords: Nutrient Source, Chromolaena, Parthenium, Compost, Rice