Enhancing Transplant Aman Rice Productivity through NPK Fertilizer Split Application Scheduling Under Zero Till Non-Puddled Condition

This experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the varietal response of split application of NPK fertilizer application schedule on transplant aman rice under zero till non-puddled condition. The experiment comprised three rice varieties viz. Bashiraj (local), BRRI dhan49 (inbred), Dhanigold (hybrid); and seven NPK fertilizer application schedules. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The effect of variety, NPK fertilizer split application schedule and their interaction showed significant variation on the yield attributes and yield of aman rice. In interaction, the highest number of effective tillers hill-1 (11.66), total spikelets panicle-1 (164.00), grains panicle-1 (151.22), 1000-grain weight (38.70 g), grain yield (5.67 t ha-1) and harvest index (60.36%) were obtained from hybrid variety Dhanigold when fertilized following 3-splits of N [1/3 at 14 days after transplanting (DAT) + 1/3 at maximum tillering (MT)+ 1/3 at panicle initiation (PI)] and P (1/3 as basal + 1/3 at MT + 1/3 at PI ), and single split of K as basal (full dose). Same treatment combination also provides the highest yield of BRRI dhan49, but the local Bashiraj gave the highest yield at recommended practice where only N was top-dressed at 3 splits. Based on this result, it may be concluded that for better productivity hybrid Dhanigold and inbred BRRI dhan49 might be fertilized with 3-splits of N (1/3 at 14 DAT + 1/3 at MT + 1/3 at PI) and P (1/3 as basal + 1/3 at MT + 1/3 at PI) and full dose of K as basal during aman season under zero till non-puddled condition. On the other hand, for local variety Bashiraj 3-spilts of N either [½ as basal + ¼ at active tillering (AT) + ¼ at PI] or N (1/3 at 7 DAT + 1/3 at MT + 1/3 at PI) and P, K as single split as basal appeared as the best application schedule.