Nursery Fertilizer Application Increases Rice Growth and Yield in Rainfed Lowlands with or without Post-Transplanting Crop Stress

Chhay  Ros; Peter F.  White; Richard W.  Bell

doi:10.4236/ajps.2015.618285

AJPS Vol.6 No.18 , November 2015

Nursery Fertilizer Application Increases Rice Growth and Yield in Rainfed Lowlands with or without Post-Transplanting Crop Stress

Chhay Ros¹, Peter F. White², Richard W. Bell³^*

Abstract: In rainfed lowlands, the beneficial effects on rice (Oryza sativa) yield from fertilizing the seedling nursery may depend on the occurrence of water and nutrient stress after transplanting into the mainfield. The aim of the study was to test the effect of seedling age and nursery fertilisation on rice yield when plants experienced nutrient and water stress regimes after transplanting. The first experiment, conducted during the wet season in a low-fertility rainfed lowland field in south-east Cambodia, examined the effect of three levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and cow manure (CM) application to the nursery and three ages of seedlings at transplanting (4, 6 and 9 weeks after sowing: WAS) on the growth of a traditional photoperiod-sensitive rice cultivar. Increasing fertilizer application to the nursery increased shoot dry weight and grain yield at each age of seedling transplanted. Shoot dry weight and grain yield from seedlings transplanted 6 WAS were 20% and 10% higher than those from the seedlings transplanted at the other ages. Seedlings transplanted at 4 WAS, which experienced a temporary submergence for 3 days after transplanting, recorded 5% greater seedling mortality from the unfertilized than fertilized nursery soil. The taller seedlings transplanted at 6 WAS experienced less mortality despite more severe submergence. The second experiment was conducted at seven rainfed lowland sites across Cambodia to test the benefit of N alone and N+P application to the nursery on rice yields in farmers’ fields. In four out of seven trials, grain yield increases averaged 13% with N+P applied to the nursery whereas N alone increased grain yield at two sites and depressed yield at two. Overall, fertilizer application in the nursery produced more vigorous seedlings with higher nutrient concentration which survived submergence and grew better with or without drought or nutrient stress after transplanting, leading to increased yields of rice. The beneficial effect of nursery fertilizer was additional to any obtained by fertilizer applied to the main field at or after transplanting.

Keywords: Nutrient Uptake, Seedling Age, Seedling Vigor, Submergence

Cite this paper: Ros, C. , White, P. and Bell, R. (2015) Nursery Fertilizer Application Increases Rice Growth and Yield in Rainfed Lowlands with or without Post-Transplanting Crop Stress. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 6, 2878-2892. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2015.618285.

References

[1] Wade, L.J., Fukai, S., Samson, B.K., Ali, A. and Mazid, M.A. (1999) Rainfed Lowland Rice: Physical Environment and Cultivar Requirements. Field Crops Research, 64, 3-12.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4290(99)00047-7

[2] Bell, R.W. and Seng, V. (2004) Rainfed Lowland Rice-Growing Soils of Cambodia, Laos, and Northeast Thailand. In: Seng, V., Craswell, E., Fukai, S. and Fischer, K., Eds., Water in Agriculture. ACIAR Proceedings, 116, 161-173.

[3] Ros, C., Bell, R.W. and White, P.F. (2003) Seedling Vigour and the Early Growth of Transplanted Rice (Oryza sativa). Plant and Soil, 252, 325-337.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1024736104668

[4] Ros, C., White, P.F. and Bell, R.W. (1998) Field Survey on Nursery and Mainfield Fertilizer Management. Cambodian Journal of Agriculture, 1, 22-33.

[5] Ros, C., Bell, R.W. and White, P.F. (1997) Nursery Applications of N and P Increase Rice (Oryza sativa) Yield. Kasetsart Journal: Natural Science, 31, 96-105.

[6] Javier, E. (1997) Rice Ecosystems and Varieties. In: Nesbitt, H. J., Ed., Rice Production in Cambodia, International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, 39-82.

[7] Adhikari, B.B., Mehera, B. and Haefele, S. (2013) Impact of Rice Nursery Nutrient Management, Seeding Density and Seedling Age on Yield and Yield Attributes. American Journal Plant Sciences, 4, 146-155.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2013.412a3017

[8] Sarwa, N., Maqsood, M., Wajid, S.A. and Anwar-ul-Haq, M. (2011) Impact of Nursery Seeding Density, Nitrogen, and Seedling Age on Yield and Yield Attributes of Fine Rice. Chilean Journal of Agricultural Science, 71, 343-349.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-58392011000300001

[9] White, P.F., Oberthür, T. and Pheav, S. (1997) The Soils Used for Rice Production in Cambodia. A Manual for their Identification and Management. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, 70.

[10] Gomez, K.A., Bartolome, V.I., Calinga, R.T. and Cosico, A.B. (1994) IRRISTAT User’s Manual. Version 3. International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos.

[11] Shalaby, Y.Y., Kobbia, T.E. and Omar, M.A. (1969) Rice Yield as Influenced by N-Fertilization in Nursery. Journal of Soil Science of the United Arab Republic, 9, 185-199.

[12] Rajagopalan, S. and Krishnarajan, J. (1987) Effect of Nursery Management Technique on Phosphorus Nutrition of Rice in Main Field. Oryza, 24, 199-209.

[13] Panda, M.M., Reddy, M.D. and Sharma, A.R. (1991) Yield Performance of Rainfed Lowland Rice as Affected by Nursery Fertilization under Conditions of Intermediate Deepwater (15-50 cm) and Flash Floods. Plant and Soil, 132, 65-71.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00011013

[14] White, P.F., Nesbitt, H.J., Ros, C., Seng, V. and Pheav, S. (1995) Granulation and Formulation of Local Rock Phosphate Deposits: a Potential Boon for Cambodia. Agro-Chemicals News in Brief, ESCAP/FAO/UNIDO, 18, 26-31.

[15] Seng, V., Ros, C., Bell, R.W., White, P.F. and Hin, S. (2001) Nutrient Requirements for Lowland Rice in Cambodia. In: Fukai, S. and Basnayake, J, Eds., Increased Lowland Rice Production in the Mekong Region, Proceedings of an International Workshop, Vientiane, 30 October-1 November 2000, ACIAR, Canberra, 169-178.

[16] Lando, R.P. and Mak, S. (1994) Rainfed Lowland Rice in Cambodia: A Baseline Survey. IRRI Research Paper Series, No. 152, International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos.

[17] Adkins, S.W., Shiraishi, T. and McComb, J.A. (1990) Submergence Tolerance of Rice—A New Glasshouse Method for the Experimental Submergence of Plants. Physiologia Plantarum, 80, 642-646.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1990.tb05691.x

[18] Matsuo, T., Kumazawa, K., Ishii, R., Ishihara, K. and Hirata, H. (1995) Science of the Rice Plant. Vol 2. Physiology. Food and Agricultural Policy Research Center, Tokyo.

[19] Ismail, A.M., Johnson, D.E., Ella, E.S., Vergara, G.V. and Baltazar, A.M. (2012) Adaptation to Flooding during Emergence and Seedling Growth in rice And Weeds, and Implications for Crop Establishment. AoB Plants, 2012, pls019.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/pls019

[20] Palada, M.C. and Vergara, B.S. (1972) Environmental Effects on the Resistance of Rice Seedlings to Complete Submergence. Crop Science, 12, 209-212.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1972.0011183X001200020018x

[21] Randriamiharisoa, R., Barison, J. and Uphoff, N. (2006) Soil Biological Contributions to the System of Rice Intensification. In: Uphoff, N., Ball, A.S., Fernades, E., Herren, H., Huson, O., Ling, M., Palm, C., Pretty, J., Sanchaez, P., Sanginga, N. and Thies, J., Eds., Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, 409-424.

[22] Mandal, B.K. and Ray, P.K. (1984) Effect of Age of Seedlings and Nitrogen Levels on the Growth and Yield of Mahsuri. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 27, 303-306.

[23] Basnayake, J., Fukai, S., Sipaseuth, Schiller, J.M. and Monthathip, C. (2006) Advances in Agronomic Research in the Lowland Rice Environments of Laos. In: Schiller, J.M., Chanphengsay, M.B., Linquist, B. and AppaRao, S., Eds., Rice in Laos, International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, 349-369.

[24] Singh, D.N. and Bhattacharya, A. (1975) Effect of Age of Seedling at Transplanting on Growth and Yield of Rice Varieties (Oryza sativa). Experimental Agriculture, 11, 65-74.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0014479700006244

[25] Patel, C.L., Patel, R.B., Patel, Z.G. and Patel, H.C. (1983) Response of Rice (Var. Mahsuri) to Age of Seedlings at Transplanting, Methods of Transplanting and Depth of Planting. GAU Research Journal, 8, 55-57.

[26] Rajendran, K. and Ganesa raja, V. (2014) Effect of Age of Seedlings on Growth and Yield of Rice. Indian Journal of Advances in Plant Research, 1, 62-66.