IPI Coordinator, Dr. P. Imas presented a paper on "Nutritional management in rice for improving productivity in different regions in India" at the 2nd International Rice Congress 9-13 October 2006, New Delhi, India. Imas, P.1, Singh, Y.2; Dhakshinamoorty, M.3; Misra, B.4 and Bansal, S.K.5
Abstract: Rice is the most important crop in India in terms of both area and fertilizer use. Rice cropping systems have been greatly intensified in India during the last decades to meet the increasing demand for food by the increasing population. Potassium (K) nutrition in rice is important because of its role in productivity and the large quantities of this macronutrient that are extracted by such intensive cropping systems. However, K application in rice in India is very low, both in absolute doses (13 kg/ha K2O) and in the K:N ratio (0.15 units K2O used for each unit of nitrogen).
There is concern now that the increased crop yields and nutrient withdrawal, in combination with unbalanced fertilization, may lead to K depletion of the soil and to K deficiency in rice. This study was setup to increase the understanding of K response in rice cropping systems.
Rice field experiments were conducted at three regions in India (Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttranchal) differing in their rice cropping systems and soil types. Graded K doses were combined with different nitrogen doses, application methods and/or crop residue management practices.
Potassium fertilizer application significantly enhanced both grain and straw yield of rice. The effect of K fertilization was found to be more significant at higher doses of nitrogen, when K application was split and residues were removed.
The results suggest that in years to come, K will be one of the most limiting factors affecting sustainability of rice systems in India. Therefore, due attention must be paid to K nutrition in fertilizer scheduling in rice, and balanced and efficient fertilizer management strategies have to be developed.
IPI-AFA 1st training course, Cairo, Egypt. Dr. M. Rusan, IPI Coordinator WANA2 and Dr. S. Ashkar, Secretary General AFA opened the first training course (TC) on 'Balanced Fertilization' in Cairo, 26 August 2006. The TC was jointly organized by IPI and the Arab Fertilizer Association (AFA) with partnership of the Egyptian Union of Fertilizer Producers and Distributors. Some 60 farmers, engineers, marketing managers, company dealers, producers and distributors of fertilizers participated. The 2nd TC took place in Cairo this month. These events are an important milestone in the fruitful cooperation between IPI and AFA.
Fertbio 2006. Dr. A. Naumov, IPI Coordinator Latin America, organized a Symposium on "Potash in Agricultural Systems of the Tropical Savannas of South America: Adequate Practices of Fertilization for Low Fertile Soils". This joint IPI-EMBRAPA symposium was held at the annual meeting of FERTBIO, a leading scientific event for soil science and plant nutrition in Brazil.
8 February 2007, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt: The 1st joint IPI-AFA-IMPHOS workshop on 'Balanced Fertilization for Optimizing Crop Nutrition' will be held as a satellite event of the 13th AFA International Annual Fertilizer Conference.
The main topics are:
Potassium and phosphorus in balanced fertilization
Nutrient management in irrigated crops
Site specific nutrient management (SSNM)
Current fertilizer use and nutrient balance in individual countries.
Research findings/results of crop response to balanced fertilization
For more details please contact Dr. M. Rusan, IPI Coordinator in WANA, at mrusan@just.edu.jo.
