Interactive Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on the Performance of Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the research field of the National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi, Niger State, Nigeria (Lat. 9o 45’ N, Long.06o 07’ E). The experiments were designed as 5 x 4 factorial in Randomized Complete Block and laid out in split-plots arrangement, replicated three times. Results showed that the application of different combinations of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer resulted in significantly better growth and grain yield (2.51 t/ha for 1 t/ha + 20 kg N/ha urea and 2.26 t/ha for 0.5 t/ha + 40 kg N/ha urea), compared to the none application of any form of soil amendment (control) (1.38 t/ha), with the parameters also varying significantly among the soil amendments. The use of combined organic manure and inorganic fertilizer, more importantly, 1 t/ha PM + 20 kg N/ha and the cultivation of the NERICA 1 rice variety, are hereby recommended for the farmers in the experimental area.