Higher grain yield (2.45 t ha-1) was obtained in BRRI dhan34 than that of Kalizira (2.23 t ha-1). Fertilizer application @ 1.8g USG and other inorganic fertilizer ( full dose for T. aman + PM at 3.5 tha-1) gave the highest grain yield (2.85 t ha-1) and lowest grain yield (1.52 t ha-1) was found at control (no PM and NPKS). Grain yields were affected by the interaction of variety and nutrient management. The highest grain yield (2.88 t ha-1) was found in BRRI dhan34 coupled with 1.8g USG and other inorganic fertilizer(full dose for T. aman) + PM at 3.5 t ha-1 and the lowest grain yield (1.24 t ha-1) was found in Kalizira coupled with control (no PM and NPKS). The combination of fine rice BRRI dhan34 and 1.8g USG and other inorganic fertilizer (full dose for T. aman) + PM at 3.5t ha-1 appeared as the best treatment combination for the highest grain yield. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jesnr.v5i1.11567 J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 5(1): 129 - 132, 2012

Nitrogen (N) loss from rice production systems in the form of ammonia (NH3) can be a significant N loss pathway causing significant economic and environmental costs.

Soil acidity is a major problem when it comes to improving crop productivity and nutrient uptake. This experiment was therefore conducted at a farmer’s field—Nalitabari Upazila under AEZ 22 (northern and eastern Piedmont plains) to evaluate the effects of lime and organic manure (OM) amendment on crop productivity and nutrient uptake of the wheat–mungbean–T. Aman cropping pattern in acidic soils of northern and eastern Piedmont plains. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. There were nine treatments applied, varying doses of lime (dololime at the rate of 1 and 2 t ha−1), OM (cow dung at the rate of 5 t ha−1, poultry manure at the rate of 3 t ha−1) and a lime–OM combination to the first crop; T. Aman and its residual effects were evaluated in the succeeding second crop, wheat, and the third crop, mungbean. Results demonstrate that application of lime and organic manure to soil had significant effects on the first crop. However, the effects of lime and organic manure were more pronounced in the second and third crops. The increase in grain yield over control ranged from 0.24 to 13.44% in BINA dhan7. However, it varied from 10.14 to 54.38% in BARI Gom30 and 40 to 161.67% in BARI Mung6. The straw yields of the crops also followed a similar trend. The N, P, K, and S uptake by grain and straw of T. Aman, wheat, and mungbean were influenced significantly by the combined application of lime and organic manure. Sole or combined application of lime and manure amendment significantly improved nutrient availability and soil quality. Therefore, application of lime in combination with manure can be practiced for uplifting the crop productivity and improving soil quality in acidic Piedmont soils of northern and eastern Piedmont plains.

Acid soil is a hindrance to agricultural productivity and a threat to food and environmental security. Research was carried out to assess the impact of lime and organic manure (OM) amendments on yield and nutrient uptake by using the T. Aman-Maize-Fallow cropping pattern in acid soils. The experiment was set up in an RCBD design and used nine treatments and three replications. The treatments, comprising of various doses of lime, OM (cow dung and poultry manure), and a lime-OM combination, were applied to the first crop, T. Aman (Binadhan 7), and in the next crop, maize (BARI Hybrid Maize-9), the residual impacts of the treatments were assessed. Results demonstrate that the highest grain yield, 4.84 t ha−1 (13.61% increase over control) was recorded for T. Aman and 8.38 t ha−1 (58.71% increase over control) for maize, was achieved when dololime was applied in combination with poultry manure. The total rice equivalent yield increase over the control ranged from 20.5% to 66.1%. The application of lime with cow dung or poultry manure considerably enhanced N, P, K, and S content and uptake in both crops, compared to the control. Thus, it may be inferred that using dololime in association with poultry manure can increase crop productivity in acid soils.

Acid soil is an obstacle to agricultural development and a concern regarding food and environmental security. Therefore, a study was carried out for two consecutive years to see how lime and organic manure (OM) amendments affect yield and nutrient absorption in the Transplanted (T.) Aman–Mustard–Boro cropping pattern in an acidic terrace soil. With nine treatments and three replications, the experiment was set in a randomized complete block design. The treatments were applied to the first crop, T. Aman, with different dosages of lime (dololime at the rate of 1 and 2 t ha−1), OM (cow dung at 5 t ha−1, poultry manure at 3 t ha−1) and lime–OM combination, and their residual effects were studied in the following mustard and boro rice crops. Results demonstrate that the effect of lime and manure was more pronounced in the case of the second and third crops in the first year and of all crops in the pattern in the second year. In the first year, grain and straw yield of T. Aman as well as the overall system productivity were not influenced significantly by the application of lime and manure, but significant increases were obtained in the second year. As an average of both years, the highest grain yield of 5.2 t ha−1 (12% over control) was recorded for T. Aman, 1.7 t ha−1 (41% over control) for mustard and 5.9 t ha−1 (47% over control, 3.9 t ha−1) for boro rice when dololime was applied in combination with poultry manure. In both years, N, P, K and S uptake were significantly increased compared to the control in all the crops due to the combined application of lime and cow dung or poultry manure. Combined application of lime and manure amendment significantly improved nutrient availability and soil quality. Therefore, applying lime in combination with manure can be practiced to uplift crop productivity in acidic terrace soils.

The impacts of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) in conservation agriculture need short-term evaluation before continuation of its long-term practice. A split-split plot experiment with tillage (minimum tillage, MT vs. conventional tillage, CT) as the main plot, residue (20% residue, R vs. no residue as a control, NR) as the sub-plot, and compost (Trichocompost, LC; bio-slurry, BS; and recommended fertilization, RD) as the sub-sub plot treatment was conducted for two consecutive years. Composite soils were collected after harvesting the sixth crop of an annual mustard-rice-rice rotation to analyze for nutrient distribution and soil structural stability. The LC increased rice equivalent yield by 2% over RD and 4% over BS, and nitrogen (N) uptake by 11% over RD and 10% over BS. Likewise, LC had higher soil organic carbon (SOC), N, and available sulphur (S) than BS and RD. Conversion of CT to MT reduced rice equivalent yield by 11%, N uptake by 26%, and N-use efficiency by 28%. Conversely, soil structural stability and elemental quality was greater in MT than in CT, indicating the potential of MT to sequester C, N, P, and S in soil aggregates. Residue management increased rice yield in the second year by 4% and corresponding N uptake by 8%. While MT reduced the yield, our results suggest that ISFM with Trichocompost and residue retention under MT improves soil fertility and physical stability to sustain crop productivity.

Having up-to-date knowledge on the mineralization of organic materials and release of nutrients is of paramount significance to ensure crops’ nutrient demands, increase nutrient use efficiency and ensure the right fertilizer application at the right time. This study seeks to evaluate the mineralization patterns of various manures viz. cowdung (CD), cowdung slurry (CDSL), trichocompost (TC), vermicompost (VC), poultry manure (PM), poultry manure slurry (PMSL), and mungbean residues (MR). The objective being to establish their efficiency in releasing nutrients under aerobic (field capacity) and anaerobic (waterlogging) conditions. The incubation experiment was designed using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) that took into account three variables: Manures, soil moisture, and incubation period. The mineralization of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) ranged from 11.2 to 100.1% higher under aerobic conditions rather than anaerobic ones. The first-order kinetic model was used to mineralize both elements. C mineralization was 45.8 to 498.1% higher in an amount from MR under both moisture conditions. For N release, MR and PM exerted maximum amounts in anaerobic and aerobic scenarios, respectively. However, the rate of C and N mineralization was faster in TC compared to other manures in both moisture conditions. Although TC was 1.4 to 37.7% more efficient in terms of rapidity of mineralization, MR and PM performed better concerning the quantity of nutrient release and soil fertility improvement. PM had 22–24% higher N mineralization potential than PMSL while CDSL had 46–56% higher N mineralization potential than CD. C and N mineralization in soil was greater under aerobic conditions compared to what occurred in the anaerobic context. Depending on mineralization potential, the proper type and amount of manure should be added to soil to increase crops’ nutrient use efficiency, which in turn should lead to better crop production.

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