Response of Macronutrients, Micronutrient and Biofertilizer on the Growth and Yield Attributes of Kalanamak Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Central Uttar Pradesh, India

A field experiment was conducted on the combined application of macronutrients and micronutrient along with biofertilizer significantly improved the growth and yield attributes of Kalanamak rice over two kharif seasons, 2022 and 2023. The most effective treatment, T7 [100 per cent RDF (Recommended Dose of Fertilizer) + 25 per cent N through FYM (Farm Yard Manure) + S (Sulphur) @ 40 kg ha-1 + ZnO (Zinc oxide) @ 5 kg ha-1 + BGA (Blue Green Algae) @ 10 kg ha-1] gave maximum increase in growth and yield attributing characteristics viz. plant height (96.80 cm & 97.82 cm), number of tillers hill-1 (11.23 & 11.25), number of effective tillers hill-1 (10.81 & 10.94), panicle length (35.16 cm & 35.43 cm), number of grains panicle-1 (175.82 & 179.45), number of filled grains panicle-1 (159.89 & 161.02), number of unfilled grains panicle-1 (15.93 & 18.43) and test weight (14.9 g & 15 g). This indicates that integrated nutrient management including the integration of organic manures, i.e., FYM, inorganic nutrients (N, P, K, S and Zn) and bio-fertilizers, i.e., BGA enhances rice growth and yield. The positive impact of BGA on nitrogen fixation, combined with the role of Zn and S in grain formation, contributed to higher grain numbers, greater panicle length and increased test weight leading to improved grain yield. Overall, the study highlights the importance of integrated nutrient management, demonstrating that the synergetic use of biofertilizer and balanced fertilization can optimize nutrient availability, improve soil health, reduce unfilled grains and increase crop productivity in Kalanamak rice cultivation.