Yield and quality of scented rice under customized and conventional fertilizer practices

A study entitled “Yield and quality of scented rice under customized and conventional fertilizer practices ”was conducted during kharif season of 2012 on clay loam soil at CRC of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, U.P. The experiment was aimed to evaluate the effect of customized and conventional fertilizer practices on yield and quality of scented rice. The experiment was conducted in RBD with 4 replications and 6 different treatments viz; (T₁)-Control without N P K, T₂-100% RD N, P, K, Zn & B @ 90: 40: 30: 05: 1.5 Kg ha⁻¹, respectively, T₃-66% RDN + 100% RDPK + 34% N by vermicompost @1.25 t ha_-1, T₄-66% RDN + 100% RDPK + 34% N by Sesbania rostrata @ 0.9 t ha⁻¹, T₅-Customized fertilizers (11: 32: 13: 0.9: 0.24% N P K Zn B, respectively) and T₆-Farmer Practices (100: 50 Kg ha⁻¹ N P, respectively). The scented rice variety Pusa-1121 was grown and growth parameters, yield and yield attributes along with quality parameters of scented rice as influenced by different treatments were assessed. Results obtained from the study revealed that in comparison to T₁ and T₆, plant height, no of tillers per m-2 enhanced in T2 to T5 which might be ascribed to increased availability of nutrients (N, P, K, Zn and B). The maximum grain yield of rice was recorded with customized fertilizers (T₅) which was closely followed by T₄, T₃ (conjoint use of inorganic and organic fertilizers) followed by T2 (100% RDF N, P, K, Zn & B) and the lowest yield was obtained in T₁ (without Fertilizers). However, grain yield did not differ significantly between T₂-T₅. Highest protein % was observed in the treatments where conjoint use of inorganic and organic fertilizers was made (T₄ and T₃) which was significantly higher than all other treatments. T₂ and T₅ which showed significantly lower protein % were significantly better than control and Farmer practices treatments. Applied treatments also improve the Head rice recovery (%), reduce the broken percentage. Conjoint use of inorganic and organic fertilizers gave the highest net return and B: C ratio with minimum cost of production. Although customized fertilizer produced highest yield and gross income but it ranks third in net return (Rs 78785) and B: C ratio (1: 3.7) because of high cost of production.