Effect of Biostimulants on the Growth Attributes and Yield of Rice

Abstract

A field investigation was conducted at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu during September - February 2022 to study the effect of biostimulants on the growth attributes and yield of rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of T1 - 100% RDF (150:50:50 kg of N, P2O5 and K2O), T2 - 100% RDF + 3% Panchagavya spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T3 - 100% RDF + 5% Jeevamirtham spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T4 - 100% RDF + 3 % Dasagavya spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T5 - 100% RDF + 2% Humic acid spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T6 - 100% RDF + 5% Seaweed liquid fertilizer (Sargassum wightii) spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T7 - 100% RDF + 2% Effective microorganism inoculation spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT, T8 - 100% RDF + 1% Liquid biofertilizer spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT and T9 - 100% RDF + 5% Seaweed liquid fertilizer (Ascophyllum nodosum) spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT. Among these treatments, it is observed that the application of a recommended dose of fertilizers along with 2 per cent humic acid spray at 30, 45 and 60 DAT had a remarkable effect on the resulted in enhanced values of growth attributes and yield viz., plant height (95.6 cm), number of tillers hill-1 (25.01), leaf area index (5.43), dry matter production (12927 kg ha-1), root length (24.63 cm), root volume (34.73 cc), grain yield (5540 kg ha-1) and straw yield (8200 kg ha-1) of rice.