Productivity and Profitability Analysis of Old Aged Hybrid Rice Seedling Using Nutrient-Rice Expert and Other Precision Nutrient Management Practices at Lamjung, Nepal

This paper can be downloaded online at http://ijasbt.org&http://nepjol.info/index.php/IJASBT Productivity and Profitability Analysis of Old Aged Hybrid Rice Seedling Using Nutrient-Rice Expert and Other Precision Nutrient Management Practices at Lamjung, Nepal S. Shrestha*, L.P. Amgain, R. Subedi, P. Shrestha , S. Shahi Tribhuwan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Lamjung Campus, Nepal Tribhuwan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur Campus, Chitwan, Nepal


Introduction
Rice is the most important food crop in Nepal accounting for more than half of the cultivated cropped area and food production in Nepal (CBS, 2013). The area, production and productivity of paddy in Nepal is 1.36 million ha, 4.29 million metric tons and 3.15 ton/ha respectively (Statistical Information on Nepalese Agriculture, ASS, MOAD, 2015/2016). The rice is grown in each ecological region of the country from lowland terai to high mountain valley and in mountain slopes in Jumla-the highest altitude of rice The area and production of rice in the country has decreased by 4.4% and 10.2% respectively from F. Y 2014Y /15 to F.Y 2015Y /16 (Krishi diary, 2074. There is the wide gap between crop actual yield potential and farmers' yields (Dhami, 2004). The wide difference in yield is majorly due to the lack of the inappropriate production technology owing majorly to the improper fertilizer management. The use of inappropriate amount of fertilizer and the method of fertilization technology is the most limiting factor in low yield. Out of total 374,181 ha of paddy cultivation land in hills, 40% land is rain-fed that has the productivity of 2.61 t/ha (Statistical Information on Nepalese Agriculture, 2015/16) which signifies that the productivity is much more less than that can be achieved and besides rain-fed, the improper fertilization is the major constraint. Hence, a proper nutrient management is uttermost in a rain-fed farming to decrease the yield gap.
Site Specific Nutrient Management is an alternative approach for dynamic management of nutrients to balance the supply and demand of nutrients in the specific crop in specific cropping season (Dobermann et al., 2004). The SSNM concept don't encourage the farmers to haphazardly use more chemical fertilizers, it aims on the optimum application of the required nutrients to increase farmers' profit, efficiency of nutrients and environment protection (Fertilizer Best Management Practices, 2007). The Nutrient Expert tool enables the pre-season nutrient input, present requirement of input along with the nutrients obtained from previous cropping to match the crop needs and sustain soil fertility (Buresh, 2010). This tool is applicable in presence or absence of soil testing results and more or less balanced application of not only Nitrogen but potassium and phosphorus too considering the site requirements. Nutrient Expert ® , a new nutrient decision support system (DSS), based on the above mentioned principles of site specific nutrient management(SSNM) is a tool to maximize efficient nutrients use and improve the productivity of the crops and profit (Satyanarayana et. al., 2012) in the particular farming conditions.
The LCC can be more successful in integrated site-specific nutrient management strategy, in which the availability of other nutrients, such as P, K, S and Zn must not be limiting to achieve optimum response of nitrogenous fertilizers (Marahatha, 2008;Paudel et al., 2017). This research thus aims at identifying the best ways of nutrient management for sustained higher rice production in rain-fed mid-hills of Nepal.

Materials and Methods
The research was conducted in Sundarbazar municipality of Lamjung district. The questionnaire was prepared and interview was taken by visiting individual farmer's field. The information was recorded and data were entered in NE rice software and the required amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium doses in the form of urea, DAP and MOP was recommended. LCC doses were calculated by using leaf color chart after 14 DAT in interval of 2 weeks further. The used variety was US-312, a hybrid variety.
The nursery was prepared as per the farmers practice in the field of Lamjung Campus with the application of FYM at the nursery field. Due to the climatic constraint, no rainfall, the transplanting was done after 38 days. The main field was prepared with mini-tiller as tractor was not feasible. Final field was prepared after the rainfall. Random complete block design with 4 replications and 6 treatments was used. Treatments were NE fertilizer recommendation, government recommendation, farmers' field practice, LCC(N) and FFP (PandK), NE(N) and FFP (P and K) and LCC(N) with NE (P and K). Plots of 6m 2 was prepared for each plots and rice was transplanted at spacing of 20*20cm. The fertilizer recommended for each treatments are given in Table 1.
Harvesting was manually done at the first week of December. Various observations like plant height, effective tillers/m 2 , dry matter weight, leaf area index, length and weight of panicle, test weight, biological yield was taken.
Comparison of attainable and observed yield and economics was done in between NE and FFP. Gross and Net revenue, B:C ratio, Partial factor productivity and Total Factor productivity were calculated for economic analysis. Data entry and analysis was done using excel and R-studio. ANOVA was done at 0.05% level of significance. LCC (N)+ FFP(P and K) 56kg N/ha and P and K as per the farmers practice NE(N)+ FFP( P and K) 109kg N/ha and P and K from farmers practice LCC(N) + NE( P and K) 56 kg/ha N and P and K as calculated from NE

Results and Discussions
The result showed that the relative performance of US-312 is better in NE than any other nutrient recommendation best performed in balanced application of N, P and K. The mean data showed the significant results indifferent attributes affected by different treatments. The mean value of various parameters like plant height, tillers, grain yield, fertility, test weight, are significantly higher in balanced application as per the requirement in NE field despite same nitrogen in NE(N) with FFP (P and K).
The Table 2 below shows the significant result in plant height (105.38cm), LAI (4.262), effective tillers per sq. metre (374) and CGR (3.55) in NE followed by NE(N) with FFP (P and K). This depicts the major role of nitrogen in growth attribute as increasing N rates with balanced P and K assisted better crop growth. Ranabhat (2016) showed same results. ns-nonsignificant, * significant, ** highly significant  fertility obtained is 77.6 % that relates to the better partitioning of the dry matter.

Grain Yield
The above Table 4 depicts the significant result being highest in NE (5.79t/ha) followed by NE combination with FFP (5.13t/ha) as a result of lower potassium doses with equal application of nitrogen in both treatments. Further, the yield is decreased with the decrease in nitrogen rate. The yield of FFP and LCC combined with NE being at par and lowest in LCC combined with FFP. At low K level an increase in N supply depressed the yield and at higher K level, low N supply increases the yield (IPI, 2014). The results also showed the increase in panicle length, panicle weight, effective tillers/m 2 , filled grains/panicle, test weight may be reasonable to the increased yield.Supported by Subedi, 2013 ;Aslam et al., 2015. Signifiacant "*" ; Highly significant "**" ; very highly significant "***" This paper can be downloaded online at http://ijasbt.org&http://nepjol.info/index.php/IJASBT

Straw Yield
The mean data presented in Table 4 showed the significant result with highest straw yield (7.96t/ha) at par with NE combined with FFP followed by GR. Nitrogen influence vegetative growth in terms of plant height, and total tillers/hill and balance & optimum use of fertilizer resulted in increased straw yield.

Gross and Net Revenue
From the above mentioned Table 5 the highest gross observed in NE, Rs 272337 not significantly higher than NE combined with FFP Rs 245290 followed by GR Rs 223040. The gross revenue from FFP and LCC combined with NE is at par lower than GR. Likewise lowest gross revenue is obtained from LCC, Rs 187713. The reason behind the highest revenue is the highest yield both grain and straw.
Similarly, there was a significant difference between the nutrient management in terms of net revenue. The highest net revenue was obtained from NE (Rs 122503.1) followed by GR and NE combined with FFP (both statistically at par). FPP and LCC combined with FFP are significantly lower than GR. The lowest net revenue is observed in LCC combination with NE (Rs 41883). Though the cost of cultivation is higher in NE than other management practices, the gross and net revenue is higher, reason-higher grain and straw yield,

B:C Ratio
Highly significant result was accorded in the B: C ratio.

Partial and Total Factor Productivity
Highly significant results were accorded in partial factor productivity (PFP) and Total factor productivity (TFP) of hybrid rice. The results depicted highest PFP of NE (0.958) which is at par with NE combined with FFP management practice. The PFP of both FFP and LCC with FFP are at par being slightly lower than the highest. The lowest PFP is obtained from GR and LCC combined with NE being at par.
Similarly TFP was significantly highest in NE (0.091) followed by NE combined with FFP (0.0794). GR, FFP and LCC with NE are at par and slightly lower than the leading. The lowest TFP was accorded from LCC combined with FFP.
PFP measures normally show higher rates of growth than TFP because growth in productivity could result from more intensive use of inputs, including fertilizer and machinery, rather than TFP increase.
From the Table 6 it is clear that over the general farmers practiced culture NE nutrient management practice is best over various precision nutrient management. The grain yield is 37.6 % more than the FFP yield whereas the both straw and biological yield is highest in NE over FFP. LCC (N) combined with FFP (P and K) resulted lowest productivity in terms of both grain and straw yield as in old aged planting the nitrogen deficiency in seedling resulted poor growth as LCC used 14 DAT and lower amount of K along more or less equal P couldn't increase nitrogen efficiency required for proper growth and development.

Conclusion
The research conducted during July-December, 2017 at Sundarbazaar, Lamjung recorded the effect of Nutrient Expert® based recommendation in hybrid rice of 38 days seedling over other 5 precision nutrient management practices including Farmers Field Practice and Government Recommendation in Lamjung Campus field with highest yield accorded 5.79t/ha in NE and lowest yield was in LCC combined with FFP treatment (3.88 t/ha). Comparison showed that Nutrient Expert® (NE) was superior among the rest 5 treatments in terms of growth, yield attributing characters, yield and economic analysis followed by NE(N) combined with FFP(P and K). Henceforth, NE recommendation was found better over GR and FFP along other precision nutrient management practices as it make use of the right source of fertilizer, at right time, in right amount and in right place. The actual yield was higher than the attainable yield in that specific site, hence further calibration of the model is required to develop confidence and for its wider applicability.