Abstract:
The field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2016-17 and 2017-18 to find
the influence of potassium fertilization on different growth and yield parameters of rice
along with soil potassium pool. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design
with treatments comprised of different doses of potassium viz. 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120
kg/ha and a control plot without any fertilizer and it was replicated thrice. The experiment
revealed that the plant growth parameters viz. plant height, number of active tillers per
plant, test weight and yield were significantly increased with application of potassium
fertilizer. With application of potassium fertilizer, plant parameters such as plant height, no
of active tillers, test weight and yield of rice increased significantly. Pooled data of both
the years suggested that, water soluble, exchangeable, available and HNO3 soluble
potassium increased at all three stages, as fertilizer dose increased. The exchangeable
potassium in control plot showed a decreasing trend with time.Attaining Food Security had been a major
challenge for the nation since independence.
With ever increasing population it is very
crucial for our country to increase food grain
production from the current level. United
Nations Sustainable Development Goal no. 2
also talks about increasing agro productivity
two fold by the end of 2030. The current
stagnation in food grain production
necessitates special initiatives to meet the
increasing demands of food grains. Expansion
of the area has ceased to be a major source of
increased output. Most of the targeted increase
in production now must result from greater
yield per hectare. Appropriate nutrient
management in general and potassium
management in particular, will play a major
role in overcoming stagnation in crop
production. The picture of crop responses to
potassium (K) in India has been changing with
time. Although Indian soils were sufficient in
terms of potassium status but intensive
cropping without its application has rendered
the soils deficient in potassium. There is a
