Effect of water management systems with different nutrient combinations on performance of rice on soils of Mvumi, Kilosa District, Tanzania

Abstract

A study was conducted on soils of Mvumi Village, Kilosa District, Tanzania to investigate the effect of water and nutrients on performance of rice so as to provide a gateway for improving rice production by manipulating water and nutrients. Pot experiment was laid in a split plot design with water management systems (SRI= Alternate wetting and drying, FLD= Continuous flooding) as main factor and nutrient combinations (N0P0K0S0, N400P0K0S0, N400P80K0S0, N400P80K50S0, N400P80K50S40) as sub-factor. N400P80K50S40 had significantly (p<0.05) higher number of tillers plant-1 (12.44), plant height (98.86 cm), grain yield (26.26 g plant-1) and biomass yield (23.57 g plant-1) as well as total P (0.27%), K (1.07%) and S (0.15%) concentrations in shoot than other treatments. On the other hand, the highest number of tillers plant-1 (11 tillers plant-1), grain yield (20.74 g plant-1), biomass yield (17.37 g plant-1) and S (0.13%) concentration in shoot were recorded in SRI while the highest plant height (95.47 cm), N (2.02%), P (0.24%) and K (0.89%) concentrations in shoot were recorded in FLD. The results of interaction of nutrients and water showed that, grain yield increased significantly (p<0.05) from 4.71 g plant-1 to 27.37 g plant-1 in FLD + N0P0K0S0 and SRI + N400P80K50S40, respectively.