Integrated Nutrient-Management Technology for Direct-Seeded Upland Rice (Oryza sativa) in Northwestern Himalayas

Abstract

Alarming climate change, rainfed upland farming, and low resource-use efficiency of conventional fertilizer management practices are major production constraints detrimental to rice productivity in the northwestern (NW) Himalayas. Recent agronomic intervention of direct-seeded rice (DSR) coupled with suitable rice germplasm well suited to rainfed upland ecosystems in combination with appropriate integrated nutrient-management (INM) technology can enhance the rice productivity in the region. Thus, a field experiment with seven treatments replicated three times in a randomized block design was conducted on INM technology in rainfed upland rice cv. HPR-1156 (Sukaradhan-1) to harness the potential of DSR technology in order to boost rice productivity in the NW Himalayas. Results on INM in direct-seeded upland rice revealed that nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) at 90:45:45 kg ha−1 + farm yard manure (FYM) at 5 t ha−1 (oven dry-weight basis) significantly resulted in the greatest magnitude of growth and development (plant height, tillers m−2) and yield-contributing characters (panicles m−2, panicle length, grains panicle−1 and 1000-grain weight), resulting in significantly greatest grain, straw, and biological yield followed by sole use of NPK at 90:45:45 kg ha−1 and NPK at 60:30:30 kg ha−1 + FYM at 5 t ha−1, respectively, in rainfed upland rice. Application of NPK at 90:45:45 kg ha−1 + FYM at 5 t ha−1 again resulted in significant improvement in soil organic carbon and available NPK status over other treatments and initial soil fertility status in an acidic Alfisol. Overall, it is inferred that INM technology with judicious use of NPK at 90:45:45 kg ha−1 + FYM at 5 t ha−1 in rainfed upland rice under DSR technology can enhance the rice productivity and resource-use efficiency in NW Himalayas.