System Productivity and Balance of Soil Phosphorus in Rice - Zero till Maize (Zea mays L.) Cropping System as Influenced by Levels of Phosphorus
Ch. Ramesh *
Agricultural College, Sircilla, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Telangana (505301), India.
M. Venkata Ramana
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana (500030), India.
G. Jaya Sree
College of Agriculture, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Telangana (500030), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To study the phosphorus requirement of Rice - zero till maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system on system productivity and soil available Phosphorus balance.
Study Design: Randomized block design (two factors).
Methodology: The field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years at the College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. Levels of P2O5 (kg ha-1) applied to rice (5 levels) and maize (3 levels) respectively were (P0-30, P0-45, P0-60, P10-30, P10-45, P10-60, P20-30, P20-45, P20-60, P30-30, P30-45, P30-60, P40-30, P40-45 and P40-60).
Results: In terms of system productivity (maize grain equivalent yield kg ha-1 annum-1) of rice–maize cropping system, the P40-60 and P30-60 treatments were found better than other Phosphorus management strategies.
The balance sheet of available Phosphorus in soil at the end of fourth season revealed that input-output balance was positive with P40-60 and P30-60 by specifying the application of 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 and/or 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 to rice and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 to maize in rice-zero till maize cropping system.
Keywords: Balance, phosphorus, productivity, rice-zero till maize