Effect of Silicon Nutrition on Yield, Uptake and Agronomic Efficiency of Paddy in Acid Lateritic Soils of Odisha

A field experiment was conducted in the central farm, Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station, Coastal Zone OUAT, Bhubaneswar during kharif 2020 using cv-Lalat variety of Rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with ten treatments and three replications. In this experiment BOF (Basic Oxygen Furnace) slag was used as a source of silica for application to rice crop. 200, 300 and 400 kg SiO2/ha was applied in combination with 50% STD and 75% STD in order to assess the efficacy of Silica with reduction in fertilizer dose by 50% and 25%. It was shown in case of grain yield, straw yield, and harvest index, 100% STD (T4) registered maximum (36.9q/ha) grain yield which was 29.4% more than that of control. Of course, grain yield in case of T9i.e., 75% STD+300kg SiO2/ha was at par 36.2q/ha indicated efficacy of silica application by reducing fertilizer dose. Harvest index was not significantly affected by Si treatments. However, maximum HI (0.478) was observed in T9. Available N, P, K and S status in post-harvest soil was increased significantly due to application of silica along with fertilizer over control indicated better availability of nutrients which plays a vital role in increasing production and productivity of rice. The content and uptake of N, P, K and Si was significantly increased over control due to application of silica with fertilizer. Though 100% STD (T4) was found to be very effective as compared to other treatments but 75% STD+300kgSiO2/ha was also equally effective so far as yield, yield attributing characters, available nutrient status, N, P, K and Si content and uptake along with Relative Agronomic Efficiency (RAE), Agronomic Efficiency (AE), Apparent Recovery (%) AR and Production Efficiency (PE) are concerned.