The Effect of Macro and Micro-nutrient Fertilizers on Yield and Yield Attributes of Rice in a Calcareous Soil
Majid Qasempour Alamdari *
Department of Agronomy, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.
Hamid Reaza Mobasser
Department of Agronomy, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In order to examine the effect of macro and micronutrient fertilizers on the growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under calcareous soils, the experiment carried out as split- split plot design in randomized complete block with three replications. Macro, sulfur powder and micronutrient fertilizers have chosen as main, sub and sub-sub plots, respectively. The amount of lime and pH of the experimental soil is 16.7% and 7.54, respectively that categorized as calcareous soils. The aim of the present study is decrease soil pH at the five stages of rice plant growth and investigation of vegetative growth and rice grain yield. The results showed that soil pH decreased by using NPK+S+Zn fertilizers (0.32) compared to the control plot. With decreasing soil pH all the agronomic characteristics of rice plant and its grain yield increased significantly, except 1000-grain weight. The number of filled grain (119) and total number of seed per panicle (127) and grain yield (4376 kg ha-1) reached at the maximum values when NPK+S+Zn fertilizers applied together. Rice grain yield was increased 1483 kg ha-1 by this treatment compared to the control plot (2893 kg ha-1). Thus, this treatment can be resulted as the best treatment under calcareous soils conditions with high soil pH.
Keywords: Macro and micronutrient, Calcareous soil, Growth, Yield, Rice