By: WA Oyange, GN Chemining’wa, JI Kanya, PN Njiruh

"" IJAAR welcome all of you to submit your research paper for publication in the field of Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture etc. Please submit your manuscripts via Online submission panel.""

Use of inorganic fertilizers constitutes 20% of the rice production cost in Mwea. Azolla fern, which grows in Mwea Irrigation paddies, has the potential to supplement the nitrogen requirement, thus reducing the fertilizer costs. A field experiment was conducted in Mwea Irrigation Scheme during 2015 long and short rains to determine the effect of Azolla incorporation and inorganic nitrogen on growth and yield of rice.

The treatments comprised three nitrogen fertilizer levels (0, 30 and 60kg N ha^-1) and three Azolla biomass levels (0, 7.5 and 15tons ha^-1) laid out in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. Data on plant height and number of tillers per plant were collected at 21, 35, 45, and 65 and 75 days after transplanting rice while yield and yield components were determined at 120 days after transplanting rice. Soil was analysed for N, P and K, before and after termination of the experiment. Data were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS and means separated using the least significant difference test at p ≤ 0.05. Azolla incorporation significantly increased residual soil phosphorus, grain weight, % grain filling and grain yield. Inorganic nitrogen significantly increased plant height, tiller numbers, neck node, and panicle length, number of panicle m^-2 and grain yield. Grain yield increase from Azolla treatment ranged from 5 to 42% compared to that of inorganic nitrogen which ranged from 18 to 36%. Application of 15t ha^-1 of Azolla biomass recorded the highest yield, however, it was not significantly different from that of 7.5t ha^-1. Get the full abstract at: Int. J. Agron. Agri. Res. 14(3), 1-8, March 2019.

International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research - IJAAR is an open-access scholarly research journal, published by International Network for Natural Sciences. IJAAR publishes original scientific research articles in the field of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences. IJAAR published 2 Volume and 12 issue per the calendar year.

Citation Sample

WA Oyange, GN Chemining’wa, JI Kanya, PN Njiruh.
Effects of Azolla and inorganic nitrogen application on growth and yield of rice in mwea irrigation scheme.
Int. J. Agron. Agri. Res. 14(3), 1-8, March 2019.
https://innspub.net/ijaar/effects-azolla-inorganic-nitrogen-application-growth-yield-rice-mwea-irrigation-scheme/

Referenc

Effects of Azolla and inorganic nitrogen application on growth and yield of rice in mwea irrigation scheme

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By: WA Oyange, GN Chemining’wa, JI Kanya, PN Njiruh

"" IJAAR welcome all of you to submit your research paper for publication in the field of Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture etc. Please submit your manuscripts via Online submission panel.""

Rice farmers in Mwea Irrigation Scheme routinely apply P and N fertilizers which affect water nutrient levels. A study was conducted to establish the effects of nutrient N and P application on Azolla biomass accumulation. The study was conducted in a batch culture experiment, using 5g of fresh Azolla biomass samples from each of the six major paddy schemes namely: Mwea, Ahero, West Kano, Bunyala, TARDA, and Taveta.

Treatments consisted of 0 and 3mg P l^-1 and 0 and 200mg N l^-1, laid out in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Azolla samples were grown in batch culture plastic pots of 8.4 x 10^-3m³for 10 days using canal water, which was replenished every three days. Fresh Azolla biomass weight was recorded at 0, 5 and 10 days after inoculation. Data was subjected to analysis of variance using SAS statistical package version 9.1 and means separated using the least significant difference test (p≤0.05). The pH levels in irrigation water averaged 7.2 while N, P and K levels were 20.2, 11.6 and 15ppm respectively. Tissue N and K for Azolla accession averaged 4.2% and 1.6% respectively. Biomass accumulation and doubling time of Azolla were significantly affected by exogenous P and N nutrient application. Doubling time ranged from 5.5 days to 6.7. Application N and P significantly reduced Azolla biomass accumulation and increased biomass doubling time.

Introduction

Azolla is a pteridophyte which forms a symbiotic association with a cyanobacterium-Anabaena azollae (Bocchi et al., 2010) and fixes nitrogen at a rate higher than legumes (Wagner, 1997). A study on Azolla has reported that Azolla contains 4.5% N, 0.4% P and 1.5- 3% K (Watanabe, 1989). In Mwea Irrigation Scheme, the existing species was found to contain 3.9% N, 0.44% P, and 1.08% K (unpublished). Azolla is capable of providing 40kg N ha-1 to the rice crop due to its nitrogen content which is released upon decomposition (Kannaiyan et al., 1982) reported that. This can reduce the cost of rice crop inorganic fertilizer, which constitutes 20% of rice production cost in Mwea Irrigation Scheme (Rice MAPP, 2012). In Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Azolla coverage is estimated at 30-50% during peak times and this is majorly dependent upon water availability (unpublished). Nutrient status and other environmental factors are major factors affecting Azolla biomass growth (Wagner, 1997).

Extensive and intensive inorganic fertilizer use forms the primary source of the water nutrient status and eutrophication in water bodies (FAO/ECE, 1991). Depending on the levels, this can cause atmospheric, aquatic and ground water system pollution (Choudhury et al., 2005). Farmers in Mwea irrigation scheme apply estimated P and N fertilizer amounts of 58kg of P2O5 and 56kg of N per hectare respectively, based on recommendations by Wanjogu et al. (1997). These fertilizers applied contribute to the water nutrient status being conducive for Azolla growth. The nitrogen fixing ability of Azolla makes it able to grow in nitrogen deficient waters (Watanabe, 1979; Hussner, 2010). However, its growth is limited by the nutrient element P (Kitoh et al., 1993). Kondo et al. (1989) reported a maximum growth rate for Azolla under application of 3.1ppm P with a threshold limit of 0.5-0.6% P.

The level of phosphorus in water bodies is varied and can be high due to fertilizer use and runoff. This can lead to Azolla blooms in paddies or flood waters. Depending on the water nutrient status, Azolla multiplies fast; doubling its biomass in less than 10 days and readily colonizes new areas (Campbell, 2011). Hussner (2010) reported a doubling rate of 3-10 days, while Kitoh (1993) reported a doubling rate of 2-3 days under laboratory conditions. The nutrient P is important for Azolla growth and reproduction (Sadeghi, 2012). Its deficiency has been shown to hinder the acetylene reduction activity (Tung et al., 1989). However, excess levels of nutrient P has been reported to have a negative effect on Azolla growth (Pitt et al., 2014).

According to Rains et al. (1979), a P level of 0.34ppm is the lower threshold limit below which there is deficiency. Subudhi et al., (1981) reported that external P level of 5ppm is the higher threshold limit beyond which Azolla tissue N content is affected negatively. The nutrient N is important for Azolla growth but because of its N fixing ability, it is capable of growing in N free media (Hussner, 2010). External N has been shown to inhibit the activity of acetylene reductase activity (Yatazawa et al., 1980). Kitoh, 1991 showed that external ammonia N negatively affects Azolla growth and N fixation activity. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of P and N on Azolla biomass growth and tissue N and P uptake, in Mwea Irrigation Scheme. Get the full articles and pdf at: Int. J. Agron. Agri. Res. 14(2), 1-9, February 2019.

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Citation Sample

WA Oyange, GN Chemining’wa, JI Kanya, PN Njiruh.
Effects of inorganic nutrient P and N application on Azolla biomass growth and nutrient uptake. Int. J. Agron. Agri. Res. 14(2), 1-9, February 2019.

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