Studies on the Effect of Foliar Fertilizer Application in Combination with Conventional Fertilizers on Rice Production

Abstract

Improving Productivity and increasing farmer income through reducing the production inputs is the main challenge for rice grower. A field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt in order to evaluate the effects of foliar application of NPK at different growth stages on productivity and nutrients uptake by rice variety Sakha108 under transplanting condition during the summer season of the years 2017 and 2018. Urea (46.5% N), super phosphate (15% P2O5), potassium sulphate (50% K2O) and complex water soluble fertilizer NPK (28:28:28) were used as the nutrient sources for the experimental treatments. The treatments were as follow: T1 = Recommended urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate (control), T2 = 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28), 2.5 kg ha-1 at mid tillering MT., T3 = 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at panicle initiation PI., T4 = 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPk (28 :28 :28 ) 2.5 kg ha-1 at flowering FL., T5 = 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at MT+ PI., T6= 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at MT + FL., T7= 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at PI + FL. and T8= 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at MT + PI + FL. The data was recorded for the following characteristics: chlorophyll content (SPAD value), flowering date (day), plant height (cm), number of panicles m-2, panicle length (cm), panicle weight (g), 1000-grain weight (g), number of filled grains panicle-1, number of unfilled grains panicle-1, grain yield (t ha-1), straw yield (t ha-1), harvest index (HI), and N.P,K uptake (kg ha-1). The NPK treatments had a significant effect on all studied characteristics in both seasons. T5 and T8 recorded the highest values of most studied characteristics in both seasons. Gross return and net returns were highest with T8= 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at MT + PI + FL, followed by T5 = 2/3 NPK urea, super phosphate, potassium sulphate as basal + Foliar spray of NPK (28:28:28) 2.5 kg ha-1 at MT+ PI. compared to other treatments .