Rooting pattern and yield of rice under rainfed upland situation in Alfisol with different sowing dates and P and K levels

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional cum Research Farm, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) during kharif season of 2009. There were three dates of sowing viz., 11^th July (D₁), 21^st July (D₂) and 31^st July (D₃). Fertilizer treatments constituted of five levels of P and K viz., F_1⁻30: 10 kg P: K ha⁻¹, F_2⁻40: 20 kg P: K ha⁻¹, F_3⁻50: 30 kg P: K ha⁻¹, F_4⁻60: 40 kg P: K ha⁻¹ (K applied in two split 30 kg at basal and 10 kg at PI stage) and F_5⁻60–50 kg P: K ha⁻¹ (K applied in two split 30 kg at basal and 20 kg at PI stage) for evaluating effect of sowing dates and levels of P and K on rooting pattern and yield of rice under rainfed upland situation in Alfisols. The results revealed Sowing on 11^th July (D₁) with 60: 50 kg P: K ha⁻¹ (F₅) showed promising effect on growth and yield attributing characters. Moisture pattern also indicated that with the continuous availability of moisture around the season in early sowing i.e. 11^th July (D₁) with judicious level of P and K i.e. 60: 50 kg P: K ha⁻¹ (F₅) promoted root length, volume and dry weight in the direct seeded rainfed upland rice which was reflected through highest grain yield (36.61 q ha⁻¹).