Evaluation of Balanced Fertilisation Practices for Enhancing Growth of Rice Crop
Durgesh Kumar Maurya
Agronomy Krishi Vigyan Kendra Santkabirnager (ANDUA&T)-272162, India.
Ankit Kumar
Department Crop Improvement, YP1 IIWBR Karnal, Haryana, India.
Anurag
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Deepak Kumar Rawat
Crop Research Station, Masodha, A.N. D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229, India.
Nisha Yadav *
Department Agricultural Extension Education, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Tarun Kumar
Agroforestry Krishi Vigyan Kendra Santkabirnager (ANDUA&T)-272162, India.
Mandeep Kumar
Faculty of Agriculture Science and Allied Industries, Rama University, Kanpur-209217, India.
Anand Kumar
Department of Agronomy, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Addya Singh
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, SVPUAT, Meerut, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of rice, surpassing China. But India has shown that continuous and imbalanced use of chemical fertilisers can adversely affect soil health and crop performance. A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2025 at farmers’ fields in Handiyamafi village under Krishi Vigyan Kendra Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, to evaluate the effect of different nutrient management practices on the growth performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The study aimed to assess the performance of improved nutrient management practices under real farming conditions. The study was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with three replications and seven nutrient management treatments, including varying combinations of farmyard manure (FYM) and recommended doses of chemical fertilisers (NPK), along with farmers’ practice and control. The recommended fertiliser dose was 120:60:40 kg N: P₂O₅:K₂O per hectare. The treatments included 100% recommended NPK over chemical fertilisers, 100% nitrogen over FYM, 75% nitrogen over FYM, farmers’ practice (N:50, P:25 kg ha⁻¹ over fertilisers + 2.5 t FYM ha⁻¹), 50% nitrogen over vermicompost + 50% NPK over fertilisers, 75% nitrogen over FYM + 25% NPK over fertilisers, and control. The results revealed that application of 100% recommended NPK over fertilisers significantly enhanced plant height, number of tillers per hill, and dry matter accumulation compared to other treatments. Integrated nutrient management treatments performed better than sole organic application and control but remained comparatively inferior to the recommended NPK dose. The absolute control recorded the lowest growth parameters. The study highlights the importance of balanced nutrient management for achieving optimum growth and improved performance of rice under farmers’ field conditions in Sant Kabir Nagar district.
Keywords: Balanced fertilisation, Rice, nutrient management, crop growth