Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Efficiency of Potash Fertilizer Application in a Rice- Rice Cropping System in Central Bangladesh

M. A. Mazid Miah
Chief Scientific Officer and Head
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

P. K. Saha
Senior Scientific Officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

A. Islam
Senior Scientific officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

M. Nazmul Hasan
Scientific Officer
Soil Science Division, BRRI Gazipur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

There is a tremendous potential for K fertilizer application both to maintain soil fertility and to increase cereal crop production in Bangladesh. Research trial and farmers’ field demonstrations were conducted during 2003-2007 in the Gazipur to study the effect of K fertilization on grain yield of rice and efficiency of K fertilizer in rice cultivation. In research trial, six K treatments: zero K (K0), K0 + Crop Residues, 33 kg K/ha, 50 kg K/ha, 66 kg K/ha and the farmers’ practice for K (18 and 37 kg K/ha, in T. Aman and Boro seasons, respectively) were tested using a RCDB with four replications. In the farmers’ field demonstrations, three K treatments were compared: K control, farmer’s practice for K and a soil test based K application. T. Aman and Boro rice yields were significantly increased at rates of 7-17 per cent in response to medium application rates of potassium. This increase proved to be economical in both T. Aman and Boro seasons, although much more in the Boro season, mainly due to better vegetative growth coupled with increased grain yield production in the dry season than in the wet season in K fertilized plots. Performing soil tests for K at farmers’ fields is highly recommended as it provides the farmers a significant yield increase of 19-25 per cent in both rice seasons.

Keywords: Potash fertilizer, Rice yield, Rice- rice cropping system

Location: Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) farm and farmers’ field, Gazipur

Start Date: 01-01-2003

End Date: 30-06-2007

Program Area: Farming System

Commodity: Fertilizer

Objectives:

To study the effect of potassium (K) fertilization on grain yield of rice.
To study the efficiency of K fertilizer in rice cultivation.

Methodology:

A research trial was conducted on a Rice-Rice cropping system, i.e. Boro–Fallow–T. Aman (Transplanted Aman), BRRI farm (Modhupur tract, medium highland) during 2003-2007. Boro is the dry season (Nov-May) irrigated rice and Aman is the main monsoon season rice (Jul-Dec). The farmers’ field demonstrations were carried out in the Gazipur District at sites of 5-7 farmers per season. The soils of the experimental fields are clay loam in texture, low in fertility status and very strongly acidic to slightly acidic in reaction. The content of total N, available P and S ranged from very low to low, exchangeable K from low to medium and available Zn from low to very high. In the research trial, six K treatments (elemental basis is used here): zero K (K0), recycling of crop residues with no added K fertilizer (K0 + CR), 33 kg K/ha (K33), 50 kg K/ha (K50), 66 kg K/ha (K66) and the farmers’ practice for K (KFP, 18 and 37 kg K/ha, in T. Aman and Boro, respectively) were tested using a randomized complete block design (RCDB) with four replications. In the farmers’ field demonstrations, three K treatments were compared: K control (K0), farmer’s practice for K (KFP) and a soil test based K application (KSTB). The soil test based recommendations for NPS (and Zn at the farmers’ fields) were applied to all the plots in both Aman and Boro).

Source of Information: Electronic International Fertilizer Correspondent (e-ifc). Quarterly correspondent from IPI e-ifc No. 13, September 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.	Budget:
2.	Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Application of K fertilizer considerably increased the grain yield of rice over the control treatment K₀ in both seasons at the range of 7-17 per cent. Application of 66 kg and 50 kg K/ha produced the highest grain yield of 3.93 t/ha and 5.70 t/ha T. Aman and Boro season, respectively. It is evident that farmers’ practice for K was not enough to produce high yields of rice. Crop residue incorporation increased grain yield of the two crops on average by 13-15 per cent. The efficiency of K was found to be more prominent in the dry season rice than that in the wet season rice. On average, soil test based K application in farmers’ fields produced 19-25 per cent higher rice grain yield as compared with the K₀ treatment. Economic analysis analysis shows that on average, the net additional income gained by application of potash is between 22 and 123 USD/ha per season. In research experiment, the maximum additional income in T. Aman season was obtained from the treatments in which K-fertilizer was applied at 50-66 kg K/ha. The K-fertilizer rate of 50 kg K/ha generated the highest additional income in Boro season.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings