Abstract:
A two-year field experiment was conducted during boro seasons of 2015 and 2016 at
Research Farm of Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati University, Sriniketan, West
Bengal, India. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three
replications and fifteen treatments in a typical Lateritic soil of West Bengal. The soil
properties of the experimental site ware sandy loam with acidic in reaction; low in organic
carbon, low in available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and boron; medium in
available zinc. After harvesting of boro rice, soil samples were analyzed for soil reaction,
electrical conductivity, organic carbon, available N, P, K, S, B and Zn. Application of 2.2
kg B ha-1
, 4.2 kg Zn ha-1
, 0.26 kg Mo ha-1
, 20 kg S ha-1
, RDF along with 2.5 t
Vermicompost ha-1
and 6 kg Azospirillum ha-1 were showed significantly highest grain
yield of boro rice. i.e. 6.66 t ha-1 (T13) followed by T12, T11, T8, T5, T9, T6, T4, T14, T7, T10,
T15, T3, T2 and T1. Integrated nutrient management increased the availability of N, P, K, S,
B and Zn in soil and also increased the yield of boro rice.The major challenges in 21st century are food
security, environmental quality and soil
health. Rice is an important staple food crop
of the tropical world. Over 90 per cent of the
world’s rice is produced and consumed in the
Asia-Pacific Region (FAO, 2017). In 2018,
more than 48 million tonnes of rice will be
consumed worldwide, according to the
USDA. Rice is currently grown in over a
hundred countries that produce more than 752
million tons of paddy rice annually (Fig. 5).
Overall rice production in Asia is expected to
reach 686.1 million tonnes (FAO 2017) and in
India it is estimated at 109.7 Million tons
(IGC 2018). Among rice suppliers, India is
expected to remain the world’s top exporter
(Fig. 4).
The world’s population will hit 9 billion by
2050 (Dubois 2011). In order to feed this
escalating population, the world requires a
global revolution and cereal production
potential must increase. Rice (Oryza sativa
L.) is the staple food of more than 60% of the
world’s population and provides up to 50% of
the dietary caloric supply for millions living
