Effect of organic foliar nutrition on the productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field trial was conducted at the Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute (ADAC & RI), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Tiruchirappalli during the Samba season of 2020 and 2021 to evaluate the effect of foliar applications of vermiwash, panchagavya and jeevamrutha on rice productivity. The chosen experimental design was Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, comprising seven treatments. These included the standard recommended fertilizer dose (187.5:50:50 kg NPK ha-1) alone and in combination with either a 2.5 % or 5 % spray of vermiwash, panchagavya, or jeevamrutha. Foliar applications of vermiwash, panchagavya and jeevamrutha were applied at panicle initiation, tillering and flowering stages in the variety TNAU Rice TRY 3. The results demonstrated that combining the recommended dosage of the fertilizers (187.5:50:50 kg NPK ha-1) with 5 % vermiwash foliar spray remarkably enhanced growth parameters such as total number of tillers, plant height and total accumulation of dry matter while also improving physiological traits (e.g., SPAD value) and yield components, including productive tillers, test weight, grains per panicle and both grain and straw yield.