Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
dipping the roots of the seedlings into the slurry, 1 h before transplanting
in the field. For the BG and BS treatments, seeds were initially also soaked
for 24 h. The biofertilizers BG and BS were then applied by mixing the
seeds with the biofertilizer product, thus coating the seeds. BG and BS
were applied at 400 g 40 kg
−1
seed and 200 g 40 kg
−1
seed, respectively.
The seed-biofertilizer mixture was then incubated for 10 hours in an open
jute sac to allow cooling, followed by 14 hours incubation in the closed
sack like the control. Seeds were sown using the modified dapog method.
In all treatments, 14-day-old seedlings were transplanted at 2-3 seedlings
per hill with a planting distance of 20 cm × 20 cm. Missing hills were re-
planted within 7 days after transplanting (DAT).
Inorganic fertilizers used for the fertilizer treatments were urea (46-0-
0 N-P
2
O
5
-K
2
O) and compound (14-14-14 N-P
2
O
5
-K
2
O) fertilizer. Com-
pound fertilizer was applied basal just before transplanting according to
the treatment. The remaining N was applied in equal splits at 10 DAT and
at 55 DAT. A water depth of 3-5 cm was aimed for at every irrigation from
early tillering until 1-2 weeks before physiological maturity. To control
insect pests and diseases in the 2010 WS and 2010/11 DS, granular Fu-
radan was applied 20 DAT at a rate of 33 kg·ha
−1
and Hopcin was applied
at a rate of 0.8 L·ha
−1
at fl owering. Molluscicide was applied right after
transplanting to control golden apple snails in the fi eld. Post-emergence
herbicide was applied once at the 2-3-leaf stage of emerging weeds. Hand-
weeding was done thereafter as needed. Application rates were based on
the recommended rate of the specifi c pesticides that were used.
7.2.4 SAMPLING AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Grain yields were determined in the study for a 5-m
2
(2.5 m × 2.0 m)
designated sampling area, which was strategically located at the center of
each subplot, leaving at least two border rows. Grain moisture content was
determined immediately after threshing (Riceter grain moisture meter,
Kett Electric Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan) and all grain yields are reported
at 14% moisture content. The data gathered in the study were statistically
analyzed using the procedures described by [30]. Analysis of variance was
conducted using SAS (Version 9.0) and treatment means were compared
