Effects of compost and site-specific fertilization regimes on growth and grain yield of Pathum Thani rice grown in Sappaya Soil series

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of compost and site-specific fertilization (SSF) regimes on growth and yield components of Pathum Thani rice grown in Sappaya Soil series. A complete randomized design with 6 replications was used. The treatments were different fertilization regimes, namely: 1) no fertilizer (control), 2) 500kg/rai of compost (C500), 3) site-specific synthetic fertilization (SSF), 4) 500 kg/rai of compost + 0.5 SSF (C500+0.5SSF), 5) 500 kg/rai of compost + SSF (C500+SSF), and 6) 500 kg/rai of compost + 2 SSF (C500+2SSF). Plant heights at 30 and 50 days after transplanting (DAT) were highest (p<0.05) in C500+2SSF. At 50 DAT, tiller numbers of rice in all SSF regimes were not different (p>0.05), but all were greater (p<0.05) than those of C500 and control. Yield components, i.e. 100-grain weights, infertile percentages, and grains per spike were not different (p>0.05) among C500+0.5SSF, C500+SSF and C500+2SSF regimes, but were greater (p<0.05) than those of others. Grain yields were not different (p>0.05) between C500+2SSF (951 kg/rai) and C500+SSF (922 kg/rai), but were greater (p<0.05) than those of others. Economic return over fertilizer cost in SSF (8,275 Baht/rai) was greatest (p<0.05). Based on the results of this experiment, the use of SSF fertilization combined with compost application is recommended for growing Pathum Thani rice in Sappaya Soil series.