EFFECT OF COWDUNG AND SULPHUR ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF AROMATIC RICE CV. TULSHIMALA

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Research Field of the Agronomy Department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during the Aman season, 2016 to evaluate the effect of cowdung and sulphur on the growth and yield of aromatic rice. The study consisted of the following factors and treatments, Factor-A: Four levels of sulphur indicated as S0, S1, S2 and S3 (0, 6, 12 and 18 kg elemental S ha-1 from zypsum, respectively), and Factor-B: Two levels of cowdung indicated as CD0 and CD1 (0, 10 t ha-1, respectively). Treatment combination were, T1 = CD0 × S0, T2 = CD0 × S1, T3, = CD0 × S2, T4 = CD0 × S3, T5 = CD1 × S0, T6 = CD1 × S1, T7 = CD1 × S2, and T8 = CD1 × S3. The single and interaction effect of cowdung and sulphur had significantly influenced on the grain and straw yield of rice. Application of cowdung (10 t ha-1) with 12 kg elemental S fertilizers ha-1 recorded significantly higher yield over rest of the treatments. This was followed by cowdung (10 t ha-1) with 12 kg S. The effect of cowdung and sulphur fertilizer increased plant height (cm), number of total tillers hill-1, number of effective tillers hill-1, panicle length (cm), number of grains panicle-1, number of filled grains panicle-1, number of sterile grain panicle-1, weight of 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield (t ha-1), straw yield (t ha-1) and biological yield (t ha-1). The highest grain yield (4.03 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.11 t ha-1) were obtained by the CD1 S2 treatment. Combined effect of cowdung and sulphur had significantly influenced on the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur content and uptake in the grain of aromatic rice cv. Tulsimala. Nutrient content in the grain was the lowest at CD0 S0 (control) treatment and the highest was at CD1 S2 treatment except P content in grain and straw. CD1 S2 treatment performed best of all the treatments.