Plant Growth Parameters and Soil Potassium Pool as Influenced by Potassium Fertilization in Kharif Season Rice

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