G. PRATHIBHA*, M. SREENIVASA CHARI, T.N.V.K.V. PRASAD AND G. KARUNA SAGAR

Department of Soil Science, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517 502.

ABSTRACT

A research was conducted to evaluate the yield and yield attributes of rice as influenced by biochar coated and uncoated chemical fertilizer. The experiment was done with nine treatments. 100% NK + 100% P through SSP (T1), 100% NK + 100% P through DAP (T₂), 100% NK + P through Biochar coated SSP (T₃), 100% NK + 100 P through Biochar coated DAP (T₄),100% NK + 75% P through SSP (T₅), 100% NK + 75% P through DAP (T₆), 100% NK + 75% P through Biochar coated SSP (T₇), 100% NK + 75% P through Biochar coated DAP (T₈) and Only Biochar (control) (T₉). The recommended dose of fertilizers for rice is 120:60:40 kg N: P₂O₅:K₂O ha-1. The growth parameters were recorded at different phenological stages of rice and finally yield analysis was done. Rice plants treated with biochar coated fertilizers had significantly higher grain yield (4810 kg ha-1), test weight (15.6 g), plant height (71 cm) and chlorophyll content (43) over control. Hence, it can be concluded that application of biochar coatd fertilizers to rice field is feasible to increase the grain yield under local conditions.

KEYWORDS: Biochar, Biochar coated fertilizers, yield.