Abstract
Enhancing soil fertility and reducing the devastative effect of weed competition in rice is increasingly important and critical for ensuring a sustainable increase in rice production and secure food supply. Field experiment was conducted at Bontanga in the Northern Region of Ghana to investigate the effect of soil amendments and weeding regimes on growth and yield of rice under different moisture sources. The experiment was a three-factor experiment laid in a split plot design with three replications. The factors were water source (irrigation and rainfed), four levels of soil amendments [no fertilizer (NF), poultry fertilizer (PF), mineral fertilizer (MF), cow dung (CD)] at the same N rate (60kg N ha-1) and four levels of weeding regime (weedy check (W1), weed free (W2), one hand weeding + twice herbicides application (W3) and twice hand weeding + one time herbicides spray (W4). Parameters measured were tiller count, weed biomass, weed control efficiency, grain yield and cost analysis. Results showed that water source, soil amendments and weeding regimes had influenced rice yield. Irrigation increased rice grain yield by 49% compared to rainfed. Application of CD, MF and PL at the same N quantity increased grain yield by 5.4, 28 and 8%, respectively compared to NF. Among weeding regime, weed free reduced weed density and biomass, this translated to greater tiller counts and increased grain yield. Weed interference in weedy check reduced grain yield by 48, 30 and 26% compared to W2, W3 and W4, respectively. Irrigation increased cost of production by 7%, however, cost:benefit ratio increased by 44% compared to rain fed conditions. Key words: Soil amendments, weed control, irrigation, rain fed, yield, rice.
Highlights
The role of the rice crop is inevitable in current and future global food security (Chauhan et al, 2017)
Soil amendment at the same rate of 60 kg N/ha was used as the main factor at four levels, that is, cow dung (CD), poultry litter (PF), mineral fertilizer (MF), no fertilization (NF) as control and weeding regime was used as a sub-factor at four levels, that is, weedy check (W1), weed free (W2), one hand weeding followed by two herbicides applications (W3) and two hand weedings followed by one herbicides application (W4)
Increased rice yield under irrigation compared to rainfed in the current study is an indication that irrigated crops have higher yields and are less sensitive to climate variability
Summary
The role of the rice crop is inevitable in current and future global food security (Chauhan et al, 2017). Government and policy makers in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana are striving hard to achieve selfsufficiency in rice production to ensure food security and reduce expenditure on rice importation (Hossain, 2006). This can be achieved largely by increasing the area under rice cultivation or increasing its productivity per unit area (Kranjac-Berisavljevic et al, 2003). Ghana is among few countries in sub-Sahara Africa with high nutrient depletion, probably due to low fertilization (IFPRI, 2014), and farmers inability to afford the required dose accounting to low yields (Adigun et al, 2017). The nutrients held in organic manures are released more slowly through microbial action ensuring continues nutrient supply (Rakshit et al, 2008; Senyah, 2009)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
