Cassava Leaf Compost Influences Growth, Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Rice

Abstract

The application of compost as alternatives to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers is considered a feasible agricultural practice to mitigate soil degradation caused by long term application of synthetic fertilizers. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the effect of cassava leaf compost on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of rice. Six treatments of two rice varieties (BRRI dhan29 and BINA dhan5) and three sources of nitrogen (Control - no nitrogen applied but residual soil N was 0.123%, urea @ 200 kg ha-1 and Cassava Leaf Compost @ 10 t ha-1) were used in this study. Cassava Leaf Compost @ 10 t ha-1 and urea @ 200 kg ha-1 significantly increased effective tillers per hill, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield were 12.84 and 13.75, 25.00 g and 24.93 g, 5.57 t ha-1 and 6.047 t ha-1, respectively. Cassava Leaf Compost @ 10 t ha-1 and urea @ 200 kg ha-1 increased N uptake in root is 0.821% and 0.756%, and the residual effect of compost increased C, N, P, K and S availability in soil for the succeeding crop in Cassava Leaf Compost @ 10 t ha-1 applied plots. Carbon and N mineralization rates were higher than control and soils receiving recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers. Our findings suggested that compost could be used as biofertilizer to improve degraded cropland soils for sustainable agriculture.