Effect of Fourteen Years of Long Term Organic and Inorganic Fertilization on Productivity, Soil Quality and Grain Quality of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Background: Considering the importance of organic farming and growing demand for organically produced foods, field studies were conducted for 14 kharif years (2007 to 2020) on a black clayey vertisol soil at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, India to study the influence of organic and conventional farming systems on productivity, grain quality, soil health and economic returns of super fine rice variety BPT-5204. Methods: The experiment was laid out in non replicated two block design with each block of an area of 2000 m2 each. The organic plot was green manured with Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) and FYM @ 10 t ha-1, Castor cake and Neem cake were applied @ 500 kg ha-1 as basal dose of manure and topdressing of vermicompost was added as a nutrient sources. In in-organic plot, 100% RDF (240:80:80 kg NPK ha-1) was applied. Result: The pooled mean grain yield of paddy grown in vertisols under K.C. Canal ayacut under organic farming treatment was 4.04 t/ha while it was 5.6 t ha-1 under control (Inorganic/Conventional farming) and the straw yield also was 5.07 t ha-1 under organic farming and 7.96 t ha-1 under control. The average yield increase in in organic plot was 27% and for straw it was 35%.The Organic carbon status was highest in organic plot (0.60%) when compared to the inorganic plot (0.36%).