International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

ISSN 2167-0447

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 5 (4), pp. 704-709, June, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Direct and residual effect of rock phosphates on rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity and soil phosphorus status in Alfisols of Eastern Plateau of India

P. K. Ghosal1*, B. Bhattacharya2, D. K. Bagchi3 and T. Chakraborty4

1Agricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700 108, West Bengal, India.

2Institute of Agriculture, Department of Agronomy, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunj Circular Road, Kolkata

35, West Bengal, India.

3Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Bidyalaya, Mohanpur, Kalyani, West Bengal, India.

4Department of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Sriniketan Visva Bharati, Bolpur, West Bengal, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +91 33 25753220.

Abstract

A study was conducted on rainfed rice to find out the efficiency of phosphate rocks (PRs) as P-fertilizer. Four sources of phosphatic (P) fertilizers namely, triple superphosphate (TSP), Morocco rock phosphate (MORP), partially acidulated phosphate rock (PAPR) and Mussoorie rock phosphate (MRP) were used. Both the direct and residual effect of different P-sources on rice yield, P-uptake, phosphorus availability in soil and balance of soil P in the direct-residual system of P application in rice were recorded. The result on yield showed significant best effect by direct application of water-soluble TSP (2.77 t ha-1) followed by PARP (2.50 t ha-1) in the first crop. The best residual effect on the yield of rice was obtained by insoluble and slowly available rock phosphates, MORP (3.87 t ha-1) followed by PARP (3.81 t ha-1) and MRP (3.74 t ha-1). The yield also increased with the increase of phosphate dose at 40 or 80 kg P ha-1, applied once in three years and residual effect was better than the direct one. TSP and PARP gave linear response whereas MORP and MRP showed quadratic response to P-application. MRP also depicted highest P-balance in soil, (29.53 kg P ha-1) and better economic benefit was received in favour of PARP and MORP in the three-crop system.

Key words: Rock phosphates, rice, P-balance, response curve.