Effect of conjoint application of coated urea and organic manure on growth, productivity, profitability and nutrient acquisition of rice (Oryza sativa)

A 2 years field experiment was carried out at experimental farm of BCKV, Nadia, West Bengal during kharif season of 2019-20 and 2020-21 to study the effect of combined application of coated urea and organic manure on performance of rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replication and treatment comprised of five treatment combination such as T1- Control plot (without N); T2- 100% RDN through neem coated urea (NCU); T3- 75% RDN through NCU + 25% RDN through FYM (farm yard manure); T4- 100% RDN through polymer sulphur coated urea (PSCU); T5- 75% RDN through PSCU+25% RDN through FYM. The results showed that 75% RDN through PSCU+25% RDN through FYM have resulted in maximum growth attributes, yield components and yield of rice. The results showed that 75% RDN through PSCU+25% RDN through FYM have resulted in maximum growth attributes viz. taller plants (110.80 cm), maximum number of effective tillers per square meter (415.90/m2), highest DMA (740.02 g/m2), LAI (4.47) and CGR (6.56 g/m2/day), highest yield components like panicle length (23.5 cm), panicle weight (9.95 g), number of filled grains per panicle (113), and test weight (21.30 g) and maximum grain yield (4.79 t/ha) and straw yield (5.53 t/ha). Similarly significant maximum amount of total nutrient uptake by crop (99.7, 40.1 and 208 kg/ha NPK), protein yield (418 kg/ha), gross returns (71.8 x 103 Rs/ha), net return (52 x 103 Rs/ha) and B: C ratio (2.73) was noticed under T5 treatment as compared to the other treatments. Therefore, it is recommended to adopt a holistic nutrient management approach T5 (75% RDN through PSCU+25% RDN through FYM) in rice cultivation contribute to optimizing growth, yield, nutrient uptake and quality ultimately improving agricultural productivity, profitability and sustainability.