Indian Journal of Agricultural Research

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Research Article

Indian Journal of Agricultural Research, volume 55 issue 6 (december 2021) : 721-726

Reducing Chemical Fertilizer use to Rice through Integrated Nutrient Management in Rice (Oryza sativa) Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) Cropping Systems

A. Polthanee1,*, S. Gonkhamdee1, M. Srisutham2
1Department of Agronomy, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
2Department of Land Resources and Environment, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Cite article:- Polthanee A., Gonkhamdee S., Srisutham M. (2021). Reducing Chemical Fertilizer use to Rice through Integrated Nutrient Management in Rice (Oryza sativa) Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) Cropping Systems . Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. 55(6): 721-726. doi: 10.18805/IJARe.A-632.

ABSTRACT

Background: Chemical fertilizer is very expensive for most smallholder farmers in northeastern Thailand. Grain legumes can be grown in dry season to provide cash income and residues for green manure for succeeding crop. The current study was to evaluate the effect of groundnut stover incorporation to the soil integrated with chemical fertilizer on growth and yield of succeeding rice crop grown under rainfed conditions.

Methods: Groundnut planted in dry season by supplemental irrigation. At harvest time, groundnut stover were sampled to determine the dry weight and analysis for nutrients content, as well as calculated the amount of nutrients return to the soil. Incorporation of groundnut stover combined 50% dose of chemical fertilizer was compared with 100% dose of chemical fertilizer treatment using by the farmer at two locations. Growth and yield of succeeding rice crop were evaluated at harvest. 

Result: Incorporation of groundnut stover combined 50% dose of chemical fertilizer had similar grain yields of rice to that of using 100% dose of chemical fertilizer alone as use by the farmers. This indicates that groundnut grown in dry season provided not only cash income, but also for green manure to the succeeding rice crop.

INTRODUCTION

Rice grown in the rainy season is mainly rainfed of Northeastern Thailand. However, rice yields are low due to erratic rainfall. And soils are mostly sandy in texture with low organic matter, low fertility and low soil moisture holding capacity. Rice yield can be improved through addition of chemical fertilizer. However, chemical fertilizers are expensive for most smallholder farmers. Moreover, in some areas there is evidence to show that long-term use of chemical fertilizers alone can lead to breakdown the soil structure (Ju et al., 2009).
       
Various organic fertilizers help in increasing the productivity of many crops. The application of organic manures like farmyard manure, rice husks, sawdust and green manures have been shown to increase rice yields (Gupta et al., 1995). Legumes high in N have been shown to provide soil fertility amendments. Grain legumes can be grown during dry season (December to April) to provide income and residues for green manure. Groundnut produce large amount of stover after pods harvest. Its incorporation into the soils can increase succeeding crop yields of maize (McDonagh et al., 1993), cassava (Toomsan et al., 1993) and rice (Toomsan et al., 1995). Apart from generate income and crop residues, groundnut used for consumption as source of nutrition to the human body such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals (Balasubramanian et al., 2020).
       
In general, there is a relatively longer the paddy fields fallow after harvest of rice at the end of the rainy season before the next rice crop is planted. Weed incorporation to the soil is normally management by the farmers before planting rice. Its can provide organic matter and available nutrients for crop growth. However, organic inputs used seldom release sufficient nutrients for optimum crop yield. Chemical fertilizer application is recommended, but very expensive for most smallholder farmers. Combining organic especially green manure and chemical fertilizer has been advocated as a sound management long-term to sustain soil fertility and crop production. These issues arise within the context of integrated soil fertility management (Vanlauwe and Zingore, 2011). The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of incorporation groundnut residues to the soil combined with chemical fertilizer on growth and yield of succeeding rice grown under rainfed conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study site
 
The study was conducted at the farmer’s field in Jomsri village, Kalasin province and Muang village, Khon Kaen province of Northeastern Thailand from January 2018 to November 2019 by faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University. The climate of the Northeastern Thailand has a semi-humid tropical climate, which characterized by rainy (May-October) and Dry (November-April) season (Goto et al., 2008). The monthly rainfall, average temperature, relative humidity and evaporation during cropping season of two study sites are shown in Table 1.
 

Table 1: Weather data of experimental sites during cropping season in 2019.


 
Soil characteristics
 
Soil samples were collected from the areas and analysis for chemical and physical properties (Table 2). The surface soil was strongly acidic, low organic matter, total N, available P and exchangeable K of both the study sites. The soil samples were classifying as sandy loam and sandy in Jomsri and Muang village sites, respectively.
 

Table 2: Important soil properties of lowland (rice soil) in the study sites.


 
Experimental design and treatments
 
The paddy field is plowed and incorporating the remaining rice straw to the soil. The treatments were set up in a randomized completely block design with four replications. Details of treatment combination are presented in Table 3.
 

Table 3: Treatments details for groundnut-rice pattern.


 
Groundnut management
 
Groundnut variety Tainan 9 was grown in order to provide economic return and residues in treatments 3 and 4 in dry season (January-April). The crop grown under limited irrigation from harvested rainwater ponds and carry-over residual moisture after the harvest of rice. Two times irrigations were provided at peg initiation and grain filling stages. Lime (gypsum) was applied at rate of 312 kg ha-1 by incorporation to the soil during the last plowing. Application of gypsum to peanut increased seedling vigor and seed yield (Annadurai et al., 2009). The crop was sown on the second week of January when a sufficient amount of carry-over residual moisture was available in the fields. Chemical fertilizer grade 15-15-15 (N-P2O5-K2O) was applied as side dressing to the crop at rate of 156 kg ha-1 at 10 days after seeding. Manual weeding was done twice before pegging initiation stage. The crop was harvested at 101 days after seeding. Groundnut pods were removed from the stem and then the stover was incorporated to the soil in treatment 3 and 4.
 
Groundnut stover biomass and nutrient composition
 
At harvest time, groundnut stover were sampled to determine the dry weight per unit of land area and analysis for total N (%), total P (%) and total K (%). The nutrients returning to the soil calculated by stover dry weight (kg ha-1) × nutrient content (%) and divided by 100. The stover dry weight obtained 4.89 and 2.24 ton ha-1 in Jomsri and Muang village site, respectively. The total N, total P and total K contents of the groundnut stover were observed 0.674%, 0.057% and 1.591%, respectively in Jomsri. While, the total N, total P and total K contents of the groundnut stover were attained 0.434%, 0.028% and 2.405%, respectively in Muang village site.
 
Weed biomass and nutrient composition
 
Weeds were randomly sampled one square meter from fallow unweeded treatment plots to determine aboveground dry weight and nutrient content of total N (%), total P(%) and total K (%). The nutrients returning to the soil calculated by aboveground dry weight (kg ha-1) × nutrient content (%) and divided by 100. In the present experiment, weeds dry weight obtained 1,612.5 and 475.6 kg ha-1 in Jomsri and Muang village sites, respectively. The N, P and K content of weeds are 1.047, 0.209% and 1.870%, respectively in Jomsri. While, the N, P and K content of weeds are 1.083%, 0.090% and 1.995%, respectively in Muang village site.
 
Rice succeeding groundnut management
 
After-plowing groundnut stover (T3 and T4) and weed (T1 and T2) residues to the soil for 30 days, the paddy fields were plowed again suitable to rice transplanting. Paddy bunds were constructed surrounding areas of 4 × 6 m treatment plots. Rice variety KDML105 seedlings (30 days old) were transplanted at a spacing of 25 × 25 cm, 4 plants hill-1. Hand weeding was done twice at 30 and 60 days after transplanting. For the treatment 2 (farmer’ s management), fertilizer grade 16-16-8 was applied at rate of 219 kg ha-1 by split 2 times at 30 days after transplanting (156 kg ha-1) and at panicle initiation stage (63 kg ha-1). For the treatment 4 incorporation groundnut stover (improved management), fertilizer grade 16-16-8 (N-P2O5-K2O) was applied at rate of 109 kg ha-1 (50% of farmer practice) by split 2 times at 30 days after transplanting (77 kg ha-1) and at panicle initiation stage (32 kg ha-1). Rice was harvested at 130 days after transplanting in both study sites.
 
Growth and yield of succeeding rice
 
The growth characteristics such as tiller number, leaf area and aboveground dry weight were measured at panicle initiation stage. Yield components such as panicle number, filled grain number and 1000 grain weight were determined at harvest. Grain yield was measured from harvesting area of 3x4 meter and express as kg ha-1 at 14% moisture content.
 
Statistical analysis
 
All data of rice growth, yield and yield components were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at first, then the significance of differences between the treatments was determined by least significant difference (LSD)using Statistix 10 software (Analytical software, 2013).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Groundnut stover and weed residues returning nutrients content to the soil
 
After the harvest of pod, groundnut stover was incorporated to the soil. In the present study, groundnut stover supplied N, P and K content by 81, 8 and 74 kg ha-1 for succeeding rice crop in Jomsri, respectively. While, N, P and K returned to the soil by 35, 2 and 32 kg ha-1 respectively in Muang village site (Table 4). Toomsan et al., (1995) reported that the N in the groundnut stover returned to the soil 166 kg ha-1 for succeeding rice crop. Incorporation groundnut stover to the soil would be released N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S approximately 43.8, 2.5, 44.4, 51.3, 14.4 and 9.4 kg ha-1, respectively was reported by DOA (2001).
 

Table 4: Nutrient content from difficult sources added to the soil for rice of each treatment in Jomsri and Muang village sites.


       
There was a relatively long fallow period before growing the next rice crop in unweedded fallow plots after incorporation rice straw to the soil. It provides opportunity for weeds growth. In the present study, weeds have substantial amount of biomass with nutrients content returning to the soil by 44 kg ha-1 N, 9 kg ha-1 P and 79 kg ha-1 K, respectively in Jomsri village. Whereas, nutrient content supplied to the soil by incorporation weed residues with 5 kg ha-1 N, 0.43 kg ha-1 P and 10 kg ha-1 K, respectively in Muang village sites (Table 4). Polthanee et al., (2012) reported that weeds residue (long fallow period in dry season) incorporation into the soil supplied 11 kg ha-1 N, 2.8 kg ha-1 P and 90 kg ha-1 K for next wet season rice. Setyowatil et al., (2014) reported on the response of using weeds as sources of organic compost and release of nutrients for growth and yield of chili. John (1987) reported that N accumulation of weeds in unweeded fallow plots is about 20 kg ha-1 for wet season rice.
 
Growth characteristics of succeeding rice with different combination of nutrient sources
 
There were no significant differences between treatments in mean tiller number and aboveground dry weight, but significant difference was observed in leaf area in Jomsri village site (Table 5). The highest leaf area per plant was obtained in T4 treatment. This was associated with the crop received N from crop residues decomposition added to soil as previously stated. Doberman and Fairhurst (2000) reported that N increased the tiller number and leaf area per plant of rice crop during the vegetative growth stage. However, all growth characteristics showed significant differences between treatments in Muang village site (Table 5). The maximum tiller number and aboveground dry weight were obtained in the T2 treatment while, the highest leaf area was observed in the T4 treatment. However, there was no significant difference in all growth characteristics between T2 and T4 in the present study. Growth characteristics performed in Jomsri village site better than that of in Muang village site. This was probably due to the rice crop received higher amount of nutrients from groundnut stover decomposition in Jomsri village site than that of in Muang village site.
 

Table 5: Growth characteristics of rice as affected by groundnut and weed residues at panicle initiation stage of Jomsri and Muang village sites.


 
Yield and yield components of succeeding rice with different combination of nutrient sources
 
Yield of rice (4,667 kg ha-1) from incorporation groundnut stover combined 50% farmers’ used dose of chemical fertilizer plots had no significant difference to yield (4,949 kg ha-1) obtained from incorporation weed residues combined 100% farmers’ used dose of chemical fertilizer plots (fallow) in Jomsri village site (Table 6). This indicates that groundnut stover incorporation into the soil as green manure is able to substitute fertilization grade 16-16-8 (N-P2O5-K2O) at rate of 109 kg ha-1 (50%). This was due to incorporation groundnut stover to the soil supplied several nutrients for crop growth as previously stated. A similar response on yield of rice was observed in Muang village site (Table 7). Toomsan et al., (1995) reported that yield of rice could be significantly increased by returning the groundnut stover to the soil in rice-based system. After picking the economic pod yield of groundnut then incorporation crop residues to the soil combined with fieldbean crop residue and supply of 50 per cent recommended dose of nitrogen to following rice was found the best nitrogen management package for rice-groundnut cropping system which similar magnitude by application of 100 per cent N through farm yard manure to rice (Kumari et al., 2010). The highest grain yield of chickpea was obtained where 50 per cent N through sunhemp as green manure plus 50 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer N was applied (Tolanur, 2009). In the present study, rice yields obtained from Jomsri village higher than that of in Muang village sites. This was probably due to rice received nutrients content from incorporation groundnut stover or weed residues in Muang village lower than that of in Jomsri village site, especially N content. The yield component had more influenced mainly by N fertilizer is the number of filled grain per panicle in the present experiment (Table 6 and 7). Doberman and Fairhurt (2000) stated that N associated in increasing the tiller number and number of grain per panicle of rice. In addition, rice yield observed lower in Muang village site, due to less amount and poor distribution of rainfall in this study site. Moreover, soil texture in Muang village site is sandy. Therefore, the crop suffered to water stress in sometime during grain filling stage and resulting to higher unfilled grain percentage in Muang village site than that of Jomsri village site (Table 6 and 7).
 

Table 6: Yield and yield components of rice as affected by groundnut and weed residues at harvest of Jomsri village site.


 

Table 7: Yield and yield components of rice as affected by groundnut and weed residues at harvest of Muang village site.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, groundnut stover incorporated to the soil after removing the pods are able to substitute chemical fertilizer grade 16-16-8 (N-P2O5-K2O) by 109 kg ha-1 (50% of farmer practice) for succeeding rice in the wet season. This indicates that green manure from groundnut residue reduce production cost of chemical fertilizer for succeeding rice crop, as well as pod yield provide cash income for smallholder farmers in the dry season. 

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