Effects of combined nitrogen-nutrient sources on lowland rice straw yield (a potential dairy feed) in a derived savannah ecology

Abstract

Low rice yields in farmers’ fields arise from inadequate nitrogen in most Nigerian soils. Fertilizer use has increased, particularly with the implementation of COVID-19. Straw is a by-product of cereal plants, consisting of dry stalks left over after the grain and chaff. It accounts for cereal crop yields, such as barley, oats, rice, rye, and wheat. The effects of greenhouse gas emissions from burning straw on the climate have been a cause for alarm. As a result, this study in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria, investigated the effects of six levels of integrated nutrient sources on NERICA L-34 and ARICA 3 through the analysis of variance in straw yield data. The experiment used a split-plot design, complete block randomization, and treatment arrangements in triplicate. At harvest, ARICA 3 produced significantly more straw (p = 0.05) (14.04 t/ha) than NERICA L-34 (10.44 t/ha) by combining 50 kg N/ha (NPK 15:15:15) with 50 kg N/ha (poultry manure) (10.12 t/ha). The study improved the straw yield (11.4 t ha−1) of ARICA 3 and NERICA L-34 by 50 kg N/ha (NPK 15-15-15) and 50 kg Nha−1 (poultry manure); thus, this straw could be used as dairy feed.