Enhanced Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Soil Enrichment is Mediated by Enhanced Availability of N and P in Soil and Plant Leaves on Application of Organic Matrix Entrapped Urea and DAP

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the Kharif season of the cropping years 2011 and 2012 at the Experimental Field Station of Department of Environmental Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow to compare the efficacy of organic matrix entrapped chemical fertilizers i.e. Urea and DAP (OMECF) with the conventional chemical fertilizers (CCF) and no fertilizer (NF) for the cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa). The OMECF prepared in granular form contained cow dung, powder of neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), and clay soil (diameter of particles less than 0.02 mm) in 1:1:1 ratios and 15% saresh (plant gum of Acacia sp.) as binder a long with half and one fourth of the recommended dose of commercially available urea and DAP. Single basal application of OMECF showed an increase in plant growth in terms of fresh and dry weights, root length, shoot length, root and leaves numbers and levels of NO3-, NO2-, NH4 + and PO4 -in the rhizosphere and their accumulation in plant leaves.