Integrated Nutrient Management with Biofertilizers in Different Genotypes of Rice Sown under Aerobic Conditions

Aerobic rice is a new way of cultivating rice that requires less water than lowland rice. A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2015 to evaluate the effects of nutrient management with Biofertilizers on growth and yield attributes, yield, nutrient uptake and economics different rice cultivars. The experiment was laid out split plot design with four replications. Main plot treatments consisted of two cultivars viz., whereas, sub plot treatments comprised of nutrient management practices namely, N1-125% RDF, N2-125% RDF + Biofertilizers, N3 -100% RDF, N4 -100% RDF + Biofertilizers, N5-75% RDF, N6-75% RDF + Biofertilizers. The source of biofertiliser was a combination of Azospirillum, Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria and Potassium Solubilizer applied @ 5 kg/ha-1. Crop dry matter production (2582.3 g/m2), root dry matter production (910.1 g/m2), tillers/m2 (566), leaf area index (4.54), panicles/m2 (535), panicle length (23.81), panicle weight (4.56) and test weight (25.3) was higher in PA 6444 compared to DRR Dhan 44. Higher uptake of nutrients was also observed in PA 6444. Rice fertilized with 125% RDF + Biofertilizers (N2) produced higher crop (2901.6 g/m2) and root dry matter production (1028.1 g/m2), tillers/m2 (561) and leaf area index (5.19). This treatment also recorded higher yield attributes and grain yield (3.55 t/ha). With respect to nutrient uptake, application of 125% RDF + Biofertilizers (N2) recorded higher N, P and K uptake by grain and straw and higher profitability (1.57) than other nutrient combinations.