Optimising Growth and Development by Integrating Water Management Practices and Nano-Fertilizers Application in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a vital staple crop, feeding over half of the global population. Despite its significance, rice cultivation faces challenges due to its high-water demand and reliance on conventional fertilizers, which can degrade soil health and increase environmental pollution. This study, conducted at the Student's Instructional Farm, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, over two consecutive Kharif seasons (2022 and 2023), aimed to evaluate the effects of water management practices and nano fertilizers on different rice varieties. A split-plot design was used, with water management systems (I1- Flooding throughout crop growth (3+/-2cm), I2- Saturation maintenance up to PI and (3+/-2cm) after PI, and I3- Alternate wetting and drying) in main plot, three varieties (V1- NDR 2064, V2- Pusa Basmati 1509 and V3- Arize 6444 Gold) in sub plot and five nano fertilizers treatments (F1- 100% RD- N120kg/h P60kg/h K40kg/h + Zn25kg/h, F2- 100% RD- N120kg/h P60kg/h K40kg/h + Zn25kg/h + Nano fertilizers (Urea4ml/l + DAP4ml/lit + Zn0.5ml/l, F3- 75% RD- N90kg/ha P45kg/ha K30kg/ha + Zn18.75kg/ha + Nano fertilizers (Urea4ml/l + DAP4ml/lit + Zn0.5ml/l), F4- 50% RD- N60kg/ha P30kg/ha K20kg/ha + Zn12.5kg/ha + Nano fertilizers (Urea4ml/l + DAP4ml/lit + Zn0.5ml/l) and F5- Nano fertilizers (Urea4ml/l + DAP4ml/lit + Zn0.5ml/l)) in sub- sub plots with three replications. Results advocated that saturation irrigation significantly improved plant height, tiller count, dry matter accumulation, and leaf area index as compared to continuous flooding and alternate wetting and drying. Among the rice varieties, Arize-6444 Gold outperformed others in terms of tiller number and dry matter accumulation. Nano fertilizers, especially at 75% RD- N90kg/ha P45kg/ha K30kg/ha + Zn18.75kg/ha + Nano fertilizers (Urea4ml/l + DAP4ml/lit + Zn0.5ml/l) improved nutrient efficiency, leading to increased tiller counts, reduced tiller mortality, and higher dry matter accumulation. The combined use of optimized water management practices and nano fertilizers showed potential to reduce water use and improve rice productivity, offering a more sustainable approach to rice cultivation. These findings suggest that integrating saturation irrigation practice and nano-fertilizers can enhance rice yields while conserving water and minimizing the environmental footprint, addressing critical challenges in modern rice production.