Boron deficiency in calcareous soils reduces paddy yield and deteriorates grain quality. (A06-rashid221427-oral)
Authors:
A. Rashid* - NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan M. Yasin - NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan M. Ashraf - PARC, Islamabad, Pakistan R.A. Mann - NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan
Abstract:
Despite being a tolerant species, flooded rice suffers with boron (B) deficiency in alkaline soils of Pakistan and elsewhere. Though appreciable positive responses of flooded rice to B fertilization in Pakistan were initially observed about three decades ago, it is only recently that the problem has received better research attention. During 2002, we conducted five multi-location, non-replicated field experiments in calcareous (CaCO3 equiv., 1.5—5.7%), B-deficient (HWE B, 0.21—0.42 mg kg-1) soils in the major rice-growing area of Punjab province, Pakistan. Borax application @ 1 kg B kg-1 increased paddy yield of Basmati-385 by 25% and of Super Basmati by 20% over control, primarily by reducing panicle sterility -- from 28% to 16% in Basmati-385 and 23% to 14 % in Super Basmati.
Also, B application enhanced milling recovery as well as head rice recovery, and improved desirable kernel qualities, like stickiness, elongation ratio, and bursting-on-cooking. Thus, B deficiency in calcareous soils not only reduces rice productivity but also deteriorates its grain quality. As economics of B use is highly attractive (value-cost ratio, 48:1), rice growers are encouraged to include B in their fertilization program.
Speaker Information: Abdul Rashid, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan, Land Resources Research Program, National Agricult, Islamabad, IS 45500; Phone: (9251) 925-5064; E-mail: [email protected]
Session Information: Thursday, November 6, 2003, 8:10 AM-9:45 AM Presentation Start: 8:30 AM
Keywords: Boron deficiency; Flooded rice; Calcareous soils; Grain quality