Impact of poultry litter combined with organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield, and economic feasibility of rice under rice-wheat cropping system in a Vertisol

An investigation to assess the Impact of Poultry Litter on yield and economic feasibility of rice under rice-wheat cropping system was carried out during the kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at College of Agriculture, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.). The experiment was laid down in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with twelve treatments which replicated thrice. The treatments were included T1- Control (No NPK, No organics), T2-100% RDF @ 120:60:40 kg/ha N, P₂O₅, and K₂O), T3- Poultry Litter @ 2 t/ha+ NPK adjusted as 100% RDF through Chemical fertilizer, T4- Poultry Litter @ 4 t/ha+ NPK adjusted, T5, T6 and T7 were comprises sole application of PL @ 4, 6 and 8 t/ha, respectively., T8 and T9 were 50 and 100% Phosphorous through PL + NPK adjusted and T10, T11 and T12 were combinations of PL and FYM @ 1, 2 and 3 t/ha each respectively, with NPK adjusted. NPK adjusted means balanced dose of NPK adjusted to meet 100% RDF (@ 120 kg N, 60 kg P₂O₅, and 40 kg K₂O per hectare) through the chemical fertilizer. The results revealed that various growth and yield attributing parameters in rice (plant height, number of tillers per plant, effective tillers per hill, panicle length and panicle weight) were significantly influenced by applied poultry litter. The highest grain yield of rice (59.12 q/ha) was recorded with 100% RDF. The grain and straw yield of rice was also significantly affected by application of PL and FYM with adjusted nutrient dose through chemical fertilizer. The grain yield of rice was also recorded maximum with application of PL @ 1t/ha +FYM @ 1t/ha + NPK adj (57.08 q/ha), PL @ 2t/ha + NPK adj. (56.03 q/ha) and PL @ 2 t/ha +FYM @ 2 t/ha + NPK adj. (55.44 q/ha) which were found statistically at par with the highest yielded treatment of 100% RDF (T2) and identified as best treatment combinations. The study of economic feasibility of poultry litter under rice-wheat cropping system showed that in the rice, the highest B:C ratio (2.83) was estimated in 100 % RDF (T2). Treatments T10 (PL @ 1 t ha-1 + FYM @ 1 t ha-1 + NPK adjusted) T3 (PL @ 2 t ha-1 + NPK adjusted) and T11 (PL @ 2 t ha-1 + FYM @ 2 t ha-1 + NPK adjusted) also showed best and comparable B:C ratio 2.83, 2.81 and 2.78 respectively.