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KHCH Kumara1, RF Hafeel2, DL Wathugala3* and HKMS Kumarasinghe3
1Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
2Rice Research Station, Ambalantota, Sri Lanka
3Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Mapalana, Kamburupitiya 81100, Sri Lanka
Abstract
A pot experiment in an open area was conducted in 2015 Yala season at the Regional Rice Research Institute, Ambalantota, Sri Lanka to determine the effect of foliar application of nano calcite on yield, yield component and quality of rice (Oryza sataiva) variety, At 362. Treatments tested were 4 levels of nano calcite (40, 80, 120 and 160 ppm) and plant growth were estimated 30, 60 and 90 days after transplanting and grain yield at harvesting. The experiment followed the Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. It was found that the application of nano calcite foliar fertilizer has significantly contributed to enhance growth, yield, seed quality and insect resistance in At 362. Plants treated with 120 ppm nano calcite had highest yield with highest performances of growth and seed quality attributes. The dates required for the 50% flowering was reduced by 6 days and yield was increased by 25% with the application of 120 ppm nano calcite compared to the untreated plants. The plants treated with 160 ppm foliar nano calcite recorded significantly low gall midge damage, leaf mites, stem borer damage and paddy bugs as compared to untreated control and treated with lower doses (40 and 80 ppm). While the data of this study showed that nano calcite has positive effects on rice growth, yield and induced resistance to insect pests, further research would be needed to validate the observations.
Key words:
Nano calcites, rice, growth, yield, induce resistance to pests
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