Effects of seed and nitrogen with phosphorus fertilizer rates on production of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Fogera plain, North Western Ethiopia.

Getachw Dessalegn Shiferaw; Tilahun Tadesse; Abaynew Jemal

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the main cereal crop in the Fogera. However, crop yields are low due to lack of various agronomic management practices. Among these, lack of site-specific seed rate and fertilizer levels are the major limiting factors. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at the Fogera National Rice Research and Training Center in 2019 to study the effects of seed and nitrogen with phosphorus fertilizer rates on rice in the Fogera plain under Rain fed conditions. A factorial combination of seed rates ( three levels) (80,100, 120 kg ha-1) and NP fertilizers (five levels) (0/0, 138/23, 138/6, 207/23, and 207/6 N/P2O5 kg ha-1) was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The row planting method was used. Growth and yield data were collected and subjected to analysis of variance using SAS software. The grain yields and straw yields were further subjected to economic analysis. The main effect of seed rate affects significantly the number of total tillers, number of non-fertile tillers, number of fertile tillers, number of fertile grains per panicle, number of unfilled grains per panicle, and above-ground biomass yield, and harvest index. Regarding the interaction effect of seed and NP fertilizer rates, the number of total tillers, number of fertile tillers, and harvest index were significantly responding. Gain yields significantly responded to the main effects of fertilizer rates. The highest grain yield was obtained from a seed rate of 120 kg ha-1 and fertilizer rate of 207/6 NP2O5 kg ha-1. The economic analysis also supported this result that the highest net benefits were obtained with the combination of seed rate 120 kg ha-1 and 207/6 kg N/P2O5 ha-1 with a net benefit of Birr 78931.15 ha-1 which can be recommended for the study area.

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