Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:45:51.812Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Relative effects of Azolla pinnata and its combination with chemical nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield and N uptake of rice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. P. Singh
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Blue-green Algae, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack-753006, Orissa, India
P. K. Singh
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Blue-green Algae, Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack-753006, Orissa, India

Summary

Field experiments conducted during wet and dry seasons with Ratna and Jaya varieties of rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) indicated that the use of Azolla pinnata as fertilizer increased growth in terms of number of tillers, leaf area index, dry-matter production, grain yield, N uptake and its accumulation in different plant parts. Azolla incorporation before planting in addition to 30 kg N/ha produced higher grain yields of both the rice varieties than 60 kg N / h a during the two seasons, while Azolla grown as an intercrop with rice plus 30 kg N/ha was superior to the 60 kg N treatment in grain production of Jaya during the wet season. Azolla incorporation before planting and also once intercropped with rice produced more grain yield than 60 kg N during the wet season. Among Azolla treatments, Azolla twice intercropped with rice produced comparatively lower grain yield. Azolla application increased the number of panicles/m2, number of grains/panicle and reduced sterility during both seasons. The N uptake of the rice crop in the treatments of Azolla incorporation before planting or intercropped once with rice in combination with 30 kg N/ha was similar to that of the 60 kg N/ha whereas the treatment of Azolla incorporation before planting plus once intercropped was similar during the wet season only.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Chu, L. C. (1979). Use of Azolla in rice production in China. In Nitrogen and Rice, pp. 375394. Los Baños, Philippines: International Rice Research Institute.Google Scholar
Jackson, M. L. (1962). Soil Chemical Analysis, pp. 219222. New Delhi: Asia Publishing House.Google Scholar
Lumpkin, T. A. & Plucknet, D. L. (1980). Azolla: botany, physiology and use as a green manure. Economic Botany 34, 111153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, A. W. (1969). Azolla: biology and agronomic significance. The Botanical Review 35, 1735.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, G. A., Calvert, H. E., Kaplan, D., Ito, O. & Toia, R. E. Jr, (1982). The Azolla–Anabaena symbiosis: morphology, physiology and use. Israel Journal of Botany 31, 305323.Google Scholar
Rains, D. W. & Talley, S. N. (1978). Use of Azolla as a source of nitrogen for temperate zone rice culture. In Proceedings of Second Review Meeting. INPUT, S. Project, pp. 167172. Honolulu, Hawaii.Google Scholar
Rains, D. W. & Talley, S. N. (1979). Use of Azolla in North America. In Nitrogen and Rice, pp. 419430. Los Baños, Philippines: International Rice Research Institute.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1977 a). Multiplication and utilization of fern Azolla containing nitrogen-fixing algal symbiont as green manure in rice cultivation. Il Riso 25, 125137.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1977 b). Use of Azolla as an organic fertilizer and feed. Indian Farming 27, 1922.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1979 a). Use of Azolla in rice production in India. In Nitrogen and Rice, pp. 407418. Los Baños, Philippines: International Rice Research Institute.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1979 b). Symbiotic algal N2-fixation and crop productivity. In Annual Review of Plant Sciences (ed. Mallick, C. P.), pp. 3765. New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1981). Use of Azolla and blue-green algae in rice cultivation in India. In Associative N2-fixation (ed. Bose, P. V. and Ruschel, A. P.), vol. II, pp. 236242. Florida: C.R.C. Press.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K. (1982). Azolla as an organic nitrogen fertilizer for medium and lowland rice. In Review of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, vol. II, pp. 236242. New Delhi: Indian Agricultural Research Institute.Google Scholar
Singh, P. K., Panigrahi, B. C. & Satapathy, K. B. (1981). Comparative efficiency of Azolla, blue-green algae and other organic manures in relation to N and P availability in a flooded rice soil. Plant and Soil 62, 3544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Subudhi, B. P. R. & Singh, P. K. (1983). Azolla pinnata as a biofertilizer for rice. Indian Journal of Agricultural Science 53, 320324.Google Scholar
Talley, S. N. & Rains, D. W. (1980). Azolla filiculoides Lan. as a fallow-season green manure for rice in temperate climate. Agronomy Journal 72, 1118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Talley, S. N., Talley, B. J. & Rains, D. W. (1977). Nitrogen fixation by Azolla in rice fields. In Genetic Engineering for Nitrogen Fization (ed. Hollander, A.), pp. 259281. New York: Plenum Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tuan, D. T. & Thuyet, T. R. (1979). Use of Azolla in rice production in Vietnam. In Nitrogen and Rice, pp. 395405. Los Baños, Philippines: International Rice Research Institute.Google Scholar
Watanabe, I. (1978). Azolla and its use in lowland rice culture. Tsuchii to Bescibatsu 20, 19.Google Scholar