OPTIMIZING NPK UPTAKE IN BASMATI RICE THROUGH ORGANIC NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ACROSS CONTRASTING WATER MANAGEMENT REGIMES

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a major food for more than half of the world's population, is threatened by overuse of water and reliance on chemical fertilizers. Export-grade Basmati rice, prized for its aroma and foreign market, is grown conventionally under puddled circumstances in states such as Uttarakhand. Climate change and resource deficiencies, however, require innovative and sustainable alternatives. Organic sources of nutrients improve soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency, especially under water-saving systems like aerobic rice cultivation. This research is to assess the effect of various combinations of organic nutrients on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) uptake in PB 1718 crop raised under two irrigation management regimes, puddled and aerobic. A field trial was carried out in Dehradun during two Kharif seasons using Pusa Basmati 1718 and six nutrient levels containing various ratios of farmyard manure, poultry manure, press mud, night soil, and urban compost. Results indicated that puddled conditions had greater NPK content and uptake in straw and grain than in aerobic systems. T5, which was treated with 75% night soil and 25% poultry manure, had the greatest uptake of nutrients (61.53 kg/ha N, 18.92 kg/ha P, and 19.86 kg/ha K in grain). High interaction effects proved the better performance of organic mixtures under puddled conditions. The findings indicate that the combination of organic nutrient sources and proper water management significantly improves nutrient recovery. The research aids sustainable Basmati rice cultivation and is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and India's National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture