Effects of Nutrient Management on Growth Indices and Grain Yield of Different Crop Establishment Methods in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive Kharif seasons, 2021 and 2022 at Agronomy Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh, India) to assess the effect of crop establishment methods and nutrient management on growth indices and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The experiment was conducted in split plot design which comprised of four crop establishment methods. There are: M1 transplanting (Conventional); M2 direct seeded rice; M3 drum seeded rice and M4 broadcasting sprouted seed under puddled condition were kept in main plot while five nutrient management practices were kept in sub plot. They are: N0 Control; N1 Recommended dose of fertilizer (150:60:40 kg/ha NPK); N2: RDF + Zn@5kg/ha; N3: RDF + S@40 kg/ha; N4: RDF + Zn + S (@5 + 40 kg/ha). The experiment was replicated three times. Significantly higher crop growth rate, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate growth and grain yield was recorded in transplanting methods during both the years of investigation. Among the nutrients management; higher value of all the growth indices and grain yield was recorded in 150:60:60 kg/ha NPK + Zn (5 kg/ha) + Sulphur (40 kg/ha).