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A study was conducted to classify and establish the fertility status of the soil at the Dakawa
Irrigation Scheme (DIS) and subsequent to this, a screen-house pot experimentwas
conducted to assess the response of rice (variety TXD 306) to nitrogen and phosphorus
applied to the dominant soil type at the DIS. According to the Soil Taxonomy and the
World Reference Base for Soil Resources, the soil of the study area classified as Inceptisol
and Cambisol, respectively. Based on physical, chemical and biological properties of
composite soil sample, the soil hadlow total N, low OC, organic matter and exchangeable
Ca and Mg,and hence rated as marginally to moderately suitable for rice production. For
the response of rice (variety TXD 306)to N and P, rates adopted were0, 50, 100, 150, 200
kgNha -1 and 0, 40, 80, 120, 160 kgPha -1 , respectively. The sources of N and P used
were(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ) and (Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 ), respectively applied in 5 2 factorial in CRBD. The
number of tillers increased significantly (P < 0.05) with N and P levels from P 0 N 0 kgha -1 to
P 80 N 200 kgha -1 . Biomass weight (g) increased significantly (P < 0.05) from 10.99 g pot -1 to
93.04 g pot -1 at P 0 N 0 kgha -1 and P 160 N 200 kgha -1 , respectively. Grain yield(g) increased
significantly (P <0.05) from 2.24 g pot -1 to 33.06 g pot -1 for absolute control and P 160 N 200
kgha -1 , respectively. Therefore, for optimum grain yield of TXD 306
for the DIS
Cambisol,80 kgPha -1 should be applied as basal and N in two splits i.e. 100 kgNha -1 close
to
tillering
and
100
kgNha -1
at
panicle
initiation.ForappropriateN
and
P
recommendations,further studies should be conducted to take onboard the intergrated soil
fertility management in rice cultivation based on soil types to allow extrapolation of the
results to other similar soils. |
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