Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

Dealing with Decline in Soil Fertility and Land Productivity
Why do soil fertility and land productivity decline?
Soil fertility and land productivity decline due to:
Continuous cropping without replenishing the nutrients through external
sources.
Imbalance in application of plant nutrients to the soil.
Indiscriminate use of fertilisers and inappropriate methods of cultivation.
Lack of or inadequate application of organic manure to the soil.
Improper land, soil and water management practices.
Use of inappropriate cropping patterns.
Erosion of fertile surface soils.
Improper tillage practices.
Improper crop management practices.
Waterlogging and/or occurrence of drought.
Improving soil fertility and
land productivity
Integrated use of organic and
inorganic fertilisers
Apply as much organic manure as
available [up to 10 t/ha of compost
or farmyard manure (FYM)]
annually and mix it thoroughly with
the soil at least two to three weeks
before sowing/planting. In addition,
use chemical fertilisers during crop
growth. Continuous application of
organic manure and inorganic
fertiliser together builds up soil
fertility and increases the yield of
subsequent crops.
Yield trend of rice (kharif + rabi) in laterite soil in
Bhubaneshwar, Orissa
Green manuring
Grow green manure crops [ dhaincha
( Sesbania aculeata )] in situ. Grow
green-leaf manure trees such as
Gliricidia spp. or other leguminous
crops on field bunds and incorporate
the foliage into the soil. Green
manuring improves nitrogen (N)-use
efficiency of fertiliser N as well as
conservation and utilisation of soil Legume plant showing nitrogen-fixing root nodules
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