Comparative Efficacy of Inorganic and Bio-Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Rainfed Winter Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Shyamal Kheroar *
All India Network Project on Jute and Allied Fibres, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal-736 165, India.
Bikas Chandra Patra
Department of Agronomy, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal-741 252, India.
Debjani Halder
Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, Mathabhanga- I, Cooch Behar, West Bengal-736 146, India.
Swapan Kumar Barman
All India Network Project on Jute and Allied Fibres, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal-736 165, India.
Kausik Mandal
All India Network Project on Jute and Allied Fibres, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal-736 165, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Modern agriculture exclusively depends on chemicals, hence, the study was carried out with the objective of reducing dependency on chemical fertilizer, to find out best integrated dose of inorganic and bio-fertilizer for successful rainfed rice cultivation and analyses the effect of inorganic and bio-fertilizer on the soil fertility. Integrated nutrient management is best for sustainable rainfed rice cultivation rather than purely organic or chemical. Reduction in chemical fertilizer to an extent of 20% with bio-fertilizer not only curtails the cost of production; it also increases the yield of rainfed rice by enhancing the growth and yield attributing characters. Recommended fertilizer dose with Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium (T4) recorded the highest rice grain yield (6.59 t ha-1), Maximum gross return (Rs.1,02,930.00), highest net return (Rs.71,230.00) and benefit–cost ratio (2.25), which were at par with T7 (net return of Rs.65,330.00 and benefit–cost ratio of 2.11). 50% RDF + Phosphobacterium (T9) exhibited lowest gross return (Rs.74,350.00), net return (Rs.44,190.00) and benefit-cost ratio (0.86).
Keywords: Azospirillum, growth, inorganic fertilizers, Phosphobacterium, winter rice