Effect of integrated nutrient management and micronutrients on growth of aerobic rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment entitled “Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management and Micronutrients on Growth of Aerobic Rice (Oryza sativa L.)” was conducted during the kharif season of 2024 at Rama University on calcareous sandy loam soil (pH 7.4), low in organic carbon (0.48%) and deficient in available Zn. The objective was to assess the impact of integrated nutrient management (INM) and micronutrient foliar application on aerobic rice (variety: Abhishek). The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with six INM treatments and three micronutrient treatments. INM included different combinations of recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through chemical fertilizers and organics (vermicompost, poultry manure, FYM). Micronutrient treatments comprised foliar applications of FeSO₄ (1%), ZnSO₄ (0.5%), and their combination at tillering and panicle emergence. Results revealed that INM significantly influenced growth. The best performance was observed with 100% RDN through chemical fertilizers + 25% RDN through vermicompost, while the lowest was with 100% RDN alone. Micronutrient treatments, although statistically non-significant, showed visible improvement in performance, particularly with FeSO₄ + ZnSO4.