Nursery fertilization of rice (Oryza sativa) with native weed vegetation Raju R.A., Reddy M.N., Gangwar B.1 Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Maruteru, Andhra Pradesh, 534122 1 Present address: PDCSR, Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh 250110
Abstract A field experiment was conducted on a clay-loam soil during the rainy (kharif) season of 1995 and 1996 at Maruteru, Andhra Pradesh, to evaluate the performance of some succulent weeds as green-ieaf manure in rice (Oryza sativa L.) nurseries. Fertilization of nursery, irrespective of source, greatly improved the seedling height, production of leaves, biomass, root number, root length and seedling growth rate. Among the green-leaf manure weeds, maximum values of seedling parameters were noticed in Crotolaria verrucosa L.-treated plots which was on a par with Casia angustifolia Vahl and Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br. ex. Ait. green-leaf incorporation. The seedlings were shorter and had sparse and thin root system in Croton sparciflorus L.-treated plots. The legume weed (Crotolaria \/errucosa)-treated plots yielded 2.15 times more seedling bundles (226) than unfertilized plots. Pulling the seedlings was easy and took short time when the nursery received either organic or chemical fertilization. Unfertilized seedlings and those received basal fertilization established very quickly in the main field than those where N was top-dressed before pulling in the nursery. Green leaf manuring irrespective of its source suppressed the weed-seed germination of Echinochloa glabresence. Highest grain yield (52.4 q/ha) was obtained in plots received Crotolaria verrucosa green-leaf manuring and it was at par with other green leaf weeds except Croton sparciflorus. Top Keywords Rice nurseries, Green-leaf manuring, Wasteland, Echinochloa glabrescence, Seedling output, Pulling time, Weeds. Top |