Using Combined Nutrient Management Practices to Maximize Yields, Nutrient Uptake, and Balance for Rice-Rice Cropping Systems

Abstract

An on-site experiment was carried out at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). The objective was to assess the most appropriate blend of organic and inorganic fertilizers for the Boro-Fallow-Transplanted Aman rice cropping pattern. An experiment was carried out at the BRRI Farm in Gazipur, Bangladesh to assess rice yields, nutrient absorption, and balance. The nutrient management practices included absolute nutrient control (T1), the recommended chemical fertilizer dose by BRRI (T2), a combination of kitchen waste (3 t/ha) and 50% of the recommended BRRI fertilizer dose (T3), a combination of cow dung bio-slurry (3 t/ha) and 50% of the recommended BRRI fertilizer dose (T4), and a combination of poultry litter (3 t/ha) and 50% of the recommended BRRI fertilizer dose (T5). The practices were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications conducted over two consecutive years. The performance of Poultry litter with 50% BRRI-recommended fertilizer (T5) and BRRI-recommended fertilizer dosage (T2) has been superior in all parameters. The same approaches (T5) and (T2) demonstrated the highest absorption of nutrients by rice crops. The observed N and K balance exhibited a negative trend but with a lesser degree of negativity. Additionally, a lower level of deficit was seen in the T5 treatments. The T5 treatment exhibited a surplus of P, while other treatments showed a deficit of P. This research shows that poultry litter (3 t/ha) combined with 50% of the fertilizer suggested by BRRI is enough and acceptable for a sustainable rice yield.