BALANCED FERTILIZATION IN RICE-MAIZE CROPPING SYSTEMTO IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY, ECONOMICS AND SOILFERTILITY STATUS IN NORTH COASTAL ZONE OF ANDHRAPRADESH, INDIASrinivasa Rao M.M.V., Nagarjuna D., Tejeswara Rao K., Patro T.S.S.K. and Ravisankar N.Abstract On farm studies were conducted during kharif and rabi seasons for two consecutive years from 2019-20 to2020-21 in 24 farmers fields each year in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh state to study anddemonstrate the importance of balanced fertilization on rice-maize cropping system. The seven treatmentsconsists of control, recommended N alone, recommended N and P, recommended N and K, recommended, P and K, recommended NPK+ ZnSO4 and farmerâs practice. Balanced application of recommended doseof NPK (80-60-50 kg ha-1) along with ZnSO4 (50 kg ha-1) to rice and recommended dose of NPK (200-80-80kg ha-1) to maize in rice-maize cropping system recorded significantly higher mean grain (5287 kg ha-1 and7172 kg ha-1) and straw yield (7389 kg ha-1 and 9284 kg ha-1) during both kharif and rabi seasons. Over theyears, maximum System Rice Grain Equivalent yields (8676 kg ha-1), higher gross (Rs 2,16,611 ha-1) and netreturns (Rs 1,36,579 ha-1). In addition to improvement in the fertility status of soil, higher sustainable yieldindex (1.07) and per day system productivity (54.76 kg ha-1day-1) were recorded with recommended dose ofNPK+ ZnSO4. |