On-farm Evaluation of Balanced Fertilization in Rice-groundnut Cropping System for Productivity, Nutrient Use Efficiency and Profitability

Abstract

Background: Increasing cost of fertilizers warrants the necessity of finding methods for increasing the use efficiency of nitrogen in a cropping system. Data from on-farm research on evaluation of use efficiency of applied nutrients using check plot or omission plot technique has been lacking. Methods: A researcher designed and farmer managed experiment was conducted in Angul district under Mid Central Table Land Zone of Odisha to study the on-farm crop response to plant nutrients by involving 12 farmers during 2015-16 and another 12 farmers during 2016-17 in rice (Oryza sativa L.)- groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cropping system with seven treatments, viz. control (no fertilizer application), recommended N alone (N-0-0-0), NP (N-P-0-0), NK (N-0-K-0), NPK (N-P-K-0), NPK+ZnSO4/CaSO4 (N-P-K- ZnSO4 in rice and N-P-K- CaSO4 in groundnut) and farmers’ practice (FP). Result: The highest system rice equivalent yield (REY) (12.63 t/ha) was recorded with the recommended doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K @ 80, 17.5 and 33 kg/ha)+25 kg ZnSO4/ha to rice and recommended doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K @ 40, 17.5 and 33 kg/ha)+250 kg CaSO4/ha to groundnut followed by recommended NPK alone to both the crops without ZnSO4/CaSO4 (12.18 t/ha). Partial factor productivity (PFP) of N in rice-groundnut system can be increased to 42% over sole N application through application of recommended quantity of NPK. The agronomic efficiency (AE) of N increased by 122, 87 and 186% in rice groundnut cropping system by applying recommended doses of N with P, K and PK over N alone, respectively. Application of recommended quantity of NPK+ZnSO4 to rice and NPK+CaSO4 to succeeding groundnut crop recorded highest system net return of Rs. 92690/ha followed by application of recommended NPK only to both the crops (Rs.89950/ha). Application of balanced fertilizer improved the status of organic carbon and available N, P and K at the end of the cropping season in both the years compared to control.