DE. Keerthi, S. Kandasamy, R. Raman and K. Dhanasekaran
Abstract
Recent years have highlighted the need to overcome inefficient input responsiveness and expanding environmental concerns. Nano fertilizers are currently considered the best alternative to conventional fertilizers for sustainable and cost saving strategies. Hence, a field trial was carried out at Experimental farm, Annamalai University during Kuruvai, 2022 to evaluate the effect of integrated application of nitrogen and silica through nano urea and nano silica in transplanted rice. The field trial was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with ten treatments and replicated thrice. The study found that combining nano urea and nano silica spray with conventional urea had a substantial influence on growth and yield of rice crop. The integration of 50% RDN as conventional urea + foliar sprays of 50% RDN as nano urea along with nano Si @100 ppm at AT & PI resulted taller plantat 30 DAT (60.9 cm), 60 DAT (96.1 cm) and at harvest stage (107.9 cm) with higher number of tillers (457 m-2), chlorophyll content (SPAD value of 36.57 and 47.68 at 30 and 60 DAT, respectively), grain yield (5821 kg ha-1), straw yield (8054 kg ha-1) and harvest index (42.0%), which was followed by 75% RDN as conventional urea + foliar sprays of 25% RDN as nano urea and nano Si at AT & PI. Control yielded the lowest grain yield, straw yield and harvest index (2008 kgha-1, 3762 kgha-1 and 34.8 %, respectively).