International journal of Agronomy and Plant Production. Vol.

, 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

Available online at http:// www.ijappjournal.com
ISSN 2051-1914 2012 VictorQuest Publications

Comparison of integrated chemical and organic fertilizer management on

rice growth and yield under system of rice intensification (SRI)
Bahman Amiri Larijani* and Sayed Jalal Hoseini
HARAZ Extension and Technology Development Center (HETDC), Agricultural Research, Education and
Extension Organization (AREEO), Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture, Iran
*Corresponding Author Email: amiri_931@yahoo.com
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the 2011 growing season at Caspian sea costal
area using local high quality variety (Tarom) with 9 treatments consist of different
combinations of organic fertilizer and Azola-compost with urea fertilizer using system of rice
intensification(SRI). SRI principles were implemented in the all plots. During the growth
phase at tillering, Panicle initiation and flowering stages, the average SPAD value, plant
height and stem number were measured for the nine sets of nutrition methods. At maturity,
the final plant height, yield and yield components were assessed. The results indicated more
tiller number (28%), more chlorophyll content at panicle initiation stage (28%) and flowering
2
2
time (13.5%), more panicle/m (60%), number of filled grains/m (20.6%), spikelet per panicle
(19.6%) and more grain yield (30.6%) with combined use of organic and chemical fertilizer
compared with chemical fertilizer alone. Interestingly, grain yield of Azola compost alone a
little bit was higher than chemical fertilizer alone and there was no significant difference
between chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer alone. However, highest yield with 4772.4
-1
-1
kg ha was belong to combination of organic fertilizer BIOL555 (1 ton ha ) + Urea
-1
application 50 kg ha (25% as basal and 25% at PI).
Keywords: Rice (Oryza Sativa L.), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), Organic fertilizer, Yield
components.
Introduction
Rice is the second important staple food crop after wheat in Iran and it is not possible to change. The
Caspian Sea coastal region owns 70% of total rice production area of Iran. In spite of the low yields of local
varieties (indica type) whose yield is averaging 3 to 4 tons paddy per ha still occupied 70% of the total rice area
because of the excellent quality traits which are similar to Basmati types. Yield of rice was heavily influenced by
meteorological condition, insects and disease attacks, and changing both agricultural practices like as the
selection of variety (local or improved) and socio-economic conditions. The strategy of agricultural development
in Iran is to increase the production of environmentally sound and is raising rice productivity with efficient use of
water and reduction agrochemicals in rice fields.
More than two decades ago, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) was developed in Madagascar in the
early 1980s based on certain insights into how to improve the growing environment for rice plants by changing
certain long-standing cultural practices (Laulanie 1993). SRI, has been extended to many other countries
through cooperation with the Cornell International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development (CIIFAD). SRI
is an emerging low-input method for production of rice that has the potential to increase crop yields while
reducing the consumption of water, seed and mineral fertilizer (Barison 2003; Randriamiharisoa et al. 2006).
These increases were achieved not by introducing new varieties or increasing external inputs, but by changing

Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

the management of plants, soil, water, and nutrients. There can be some variation in seedling age, water
application schedules, amount and kind of compost, etc. to suit local soil and other conditions and constraints.
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is reported to offer an opportunity for reducing water demand
accompanied by yield enhancement of rice (Satyanarayana et al. 2007; Uphoff 2007). SRI proposes the use of
single young seedlings, drastically reduced plant densities, keeping fields unflooded, use of a mechanical
weeder which also aerates the soil, and enhanced soil organic matter as much as possible, not relying on
synthetic fertilizer, although this can be used if there is not sufficient biomass available. These practices have the
aim of providing optimal growth conditions for the plant, to get better performance in terms of yield and resource
productivity (Stoop et al. 2002). Such a study should not be done as a single-factor assessment because there
can be strong interaction effects among practices (Mishra and Salokhe 2010). SRI practices are reported to
increase the yields of irrigated rice by 2550% or even more (Thakur et al. 2010a, b; Zhao et al. 2010; Sinha and
Talati 2007; Senthilkumar et al. 2008) while reducing water requirements (Chapagain and Yamaji 2010; Zhao et
al. 2010; Satyanarayana et al. 2007). SRI has been found to increase yields significantly compared to the
conventional system when implemented on strongly weathered soils of low fertility, and to produce relatively high
yields (710 t ha-1) in more fertile soils.
This study reported here compared the rice grain yield and yield components resulting from recommended
SRI techniques with that from chemical fertilization.
Materials and methods
A field experiment was conducted at the Haraz Extension and Technology Development Center (HETDC) at
o
/
o
/
Amol City, Mazandaran province, Iran (Lat. 36 29 N, Long. 52 23 E, Elev. 23.7 m) during the 2011 growing
season. This location was representative of the main irrigated paddy area at the Caspian Sea coast in north of
Iran on a neutral (pH=7.61) loam soil with 20% clay, 44% silt and 36% sand (Table1). The climate of the site is
semi-Mediterranean, characterized by a humid warm summer with low rainfall and a moderate winter with high
precipitation.

Soil depth
(cm)
0-25

Table 1. Soil physiochemical properties of experimental field

EC
pH
Organic
Phosphorus
Ds/m
carbon (%)
(ppm)
1.06
7.61
1.87
6

Potassium
-1
(mg.kg )
180

The experiment was conducted under randomized complete block design with 3 replications and 9 treatments
under recommended SRI techniques consist of transplanting 15 old days seedling raised from standard box
-2
nursery, square transplanting by marker with 1 seedling/hill spacing 25*25 cm and 16 hill m , alternate wetting
and drying with no soil cracking and drying with keeping saturate soil condition. Main difference between
treatments was fertilizer management as described below;
-1
SRI1: Azola compost application 6 ton ha as basal without chemical fertilizer.
-1
SRI2: Organic fertilizer, Biol555 with amount of 1 ton ha without any chemical fertilizer.
-1
-1
SRI3: Azola compost (6 ton ha ) + urea application 50 kg ha as basal
-1
-1
SRI4: Biol555 (1 ton ha )+ urea application 50 kg ha as basal
-1
-1
SRI5: Azola compost (6 ton ha ) + Urea application 50 kg ha (25% as basal and 25% at PI)
-1
-1
SRI6: Biol555 (1 ton ha )+ Urea application 50 kg ha (25% as basal and 25% at PI)
-1
-1
SRI7: Azola compost (6 ton ha ) + Urea application 100 kg ha (50% Urea as basal and 25% at early tillering
and 25% at PI)
-1
-1
SRI8: Biol555 (1 ton ha )+ Urea application 100 kg ha (50% Urea as basal and 25% at early tillering and
25% at PI);
SRI9: Recommended SRI techniques with NPK application using urea, Triple super phosphate and
-1
potassium sulfate (100-100-100 kg ha as basal) without compost and organic fertilizer
The Specification of Azola compost and organic fertilizer have shown at table 2 and amount of compost and
organic fertilizer was based on recommended value by producers. The variety of rice (Oryza sativa L.) used in
the trials was Tarom an indica type, local with excellent quality traits which are similar to Basmati types. Plots
size for transplanting was 45 m in the puddled soil. For each plot, during the growing season, plant samples of
2
4 hills were taken to measure plant height, tiller number and chlorophyll content (SPAD value). At maturity, 4 m
were harvested to determine grain yield at 14% moisture content. Yield components were also determined from

727

Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

2

the hill samples taken from 1 m . Analysis of variance, the means comparisons with Duncan test and linear
correlation coefficients between traits was done by SAS software.
Table 2. Elements analysis of Azola-compost and Organic fertilizer (Biol 555)
Organic fertilizer (Biol 555)
Azola-compost
Element
Range
Element
Range
Total N (%)
5
%N
2.5 3.5
Organic and Ammonia
5
%P
0.15 1.0
nitrogen (%)
%P
5
%K
0.25 5.50
%K
5
% Si
0.15 3.5
Organic matter
> 60
Saturate percentage
470 - 520
Calcium Oxide
>5
Mn (ppm)
2500 - 60
-1
EC (ms.cm )
12
PH
4.7 6.5
3
PH (1:5)
6.7 - 7
Dry matter (Kg/m )
460 - 600
Microorganism (%)
1
CEC (mq/100gr)
165 - 185
Results and discussion
Plant height
Plant height at maturity was measured and treatments had significant different at 5% level, so that plants
-1
from SRI7 {Azola compost + Urea application 100 kg ha (50% Urea as basal and 25% at early tillering and 25%
at PI)} with 149.8 cm had highest plant height and plants from SRI2 (Biol555 without any chemical fertilizer) with
129.2 cm were lowest values (Table 3). Tarom rice variety is a local tall plant and these differences may be
attributed to effect of different nutrients specially nitrogen availability on stem elongation stage in combined
fertilizer practice. Thakur, et al (2011) showed that plants grown under SRI had 22 % more height than non SRI
as these could lead to more vigorous root growth and nutrient availability for plants.
Maximum Tiller number
Maximum tiller number per hill was distinguished by measurement of tiller number from 20 days after
transplanting until flowering and ranging from 10.7 to 17.4. However, data showed that nitrogen splitting led to
increasing tiller number compared to basal application under SRI, but, There wasnt significant different between
-1
treatments. In our evaluation, SRI5 {Azola compost + Urea application 50 kg ha (25% as basal and 25% at PI)}
produced highest tiller number per plant by 17.4 tillers at maximum tillering stage followed by SRI6 with 16.9
Tillers (Table 3). Thakur, et al (2011) reported that there was no significant difference in tillers per unit area in
SRI compared to traditional practice plants.
Chlorophyll content
Chlorophyll content (SPAD value) was measured at panicle initiation, flowering and ripening stages.
Chlorophyll content in leaves was significant at panicle initiation (1% level) and flowering (5% level). The highest
-1
chlorophyll content in leaves (SPAD value=40.2) was found in SRI8 {Biol555+ Urea application 100 kg ha (50%
Urea as basal and 25% at early tillering and 25% at PI)} and the lowest (SPAD value=31.4) was found in SRI9
(Table3). The combination of organic and chemical fertilizer along with split application in different stages
facilitated to accumulate more chlorophyll in rice plant which resulted more chlorophyll. Poshtmasari et al. (2007)
and Shaiful Islam et al. (2009) showed the similar results. It reveals that split application of nitrogen at three
times increased chlorophyll content compared to basal application.
Yield components
2
Number of Panicles per m
2
There was significantly difference between treatments at 1% level for panicle number per m . Same as tiller
2
number, SRI6 and SRI5 plants with 249.0 and 236.7 panicles/m had highest panicle number and SRI9 (NPK
application without organic fertilizer and compost) with 155.3 was lowest. Combination of chemical and organic
fertilizer led to higher tillering capacity and produced higher number of panicle compared to chemical fertilizer
**
alone. As shown in table4 there is positive correlation (r=0.87 ) with chlorophyll content at panicle initiation and
productive tiller (panicle) in rice plant.

728

Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

Number of spikelet and filled grains per panicle

The effect of fertilizer management on total spikelet per panicle was statistically Significant at 5% level.
But on filled grains per panicle was significant at 10% level (Pr>f=0.067). The maximum number of spikelets per
panicle belonging to SRI8 with 120.7 and lowest one belonging to SRI3 equal to 94.1spikelet (Table4). Lin, et al
(2011) reported that SRI with compost produce more spikelets than traditional method with chemical fertilization.
Thakur, et al (2011) also showed that number of spikelets at SRI was more than standard management practice.
-1
-1
Number of filled grain per panicle in SRI7 { Azola compost (6 ton ha ) + Urea application 100 kg ha (50% Urea
as basal and 25% at early tillering and 25% at PI)} was highest and 20.6% more than SRI9 with NPK application
without organic fertilizer and compost (Table4). Better nutrition at grain filling period due to integrated fertilizer
management led to higher filled grain per panicle. Thakur, et al (2011) concluded that number of filled grains at
SRI with compost application was greater than standard management practice with chemical alone.
1000 Grain weight
Since 1000 grain weight is a genetically trait, for this characteristic, there was no significant difference
between treatments. Mean data comparison showed that organic fertilizer and compost treatments (SRI2 and
SRI1) with 25.7 and 25.1 gr, had greatest 1000 grain weight (Table). Thakur, et al (2011) and Lin, et al (2011)
also reported same results.
Table 3. Effects of different fertilizer management on plant height, maximum tiller number and chlorophyll
content
1
Treatments
Plant height
Maximum tiller
Chlorophyll content
2
(cm)
number/plant
Panicle initiation stage
Flowering
Ripening
stage
stage
abc
a
b
ab
a
SRI1
138.1
10.8
32.9
35.9
39.8
c
a
b
a
ab
SRI2
129.2
13.6
32.8
37.1
39.1
c
a
b
b
abc
SRI3
132.4
10.7
31.9
33.7
37.1
bc
a
b
b
bc
SRI4
134.3
11.2
32.5
33.1
36.1
abc
a
a
ab
abc
SRI5
141.4
17.4
37.8
35.3
37.8
abc
a
a
a
ab
SRI6
138.1
16.9
37.4
37.7
39.1
a
a
a
ab
ab
SRI7
149.8
16.4
38.8
35.6
39.1
a
a
a
a
ab
SRI8
148.2
16.3
40.2
37.2
39.2
ab
a
b
b
c
SRI9
146.8
13.6
31.4
33.2
35.6
1- Refer to text for specification of treatments
2-Mean with similar small letters within the column, are not significantly difference (p < 0.05) by Duncan
methods.
Table 4. Mean comparison of yield and yield components of different treatments
1
Treatments
No. of
No. of
No. of filled
1000 grain
Grain Yield
-1
Panicle
spikelet per
grains per
weight (gr)
(kg ha )
-2
m
panicle
panicle
b
abc
a
a
ab
SRI1
182.3
108.5
84.2
25.1
3978.4
b
bc
a
a
b
SRI2
170.0
97.2
84.8
25.7
3360.0
b
c
b
a
ab
SRI3
166.3
94.1
66.5
23.8
3670.8
b
abc
ab
a
ab
SRI4
175.0
105.0
81.6
24.0
3855.2
a
bc
a
a
ab
SRI5
236.7
97.3
85.4
24.4
3737.0
a
bc
ab
a
a
SRI6
249.0
97.6
81.1
24.4
4772.4
a
ab
a
a
ab
SRI7
220.0
114.4
95.4
24.9
4567.8
a
a
a
a
ab
SRI8
221.3
120.7
86.1
24.0
4382.2
b
bc
ab
a
ab
SRI9
155.3
100.9
79.1
24.9
3652.6
1- Refer to text for specification of treatments
2-Mean with similar small letters within the column, are not significantly difference (p <
0.05) by duncan methods.
Grain yield
There wasnt significant difference between treatments for grain yield at 1% level but mean comparison
-1
-1
showed that SRI6 {Biol555 (1 ton ha )+ Urea application 50 kg ha (25% as basal and 25% at PI)} with 4772.4

729

Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

-1

-1

kg ha had highest grain yield and 30.6% higher than SRI9 (3652.6 kg ha ) with chemical fertilization alone
-2
(Table 4). In this study, number of panicle per m was a critical trait for increasing yield, because, the variety
used in this trail is a panicle weight type variety and there was positive significant correlation between panicle m
2
*
and grain yield (r= 0.74 ). In addition, chlorophyll content at panicle initiation stage had positive significant
*
correlation (r= 0.72 ) with grain yield. Barison and uphoff (2011) reported same results at SRI treatments with
compost application.
Conclusion
Our results showed that, rice nutrition under SRI is one of the key factors for yield increasing specially at
poor soil fertility condition and organic materials can replace with chemical fertilizer for local variety without
reducing yield may even improve the grain yield under SRI. However, kind of compost or organic material and
rate of application is very important for increasing soil productivity under SRI methods.
Acknowledgement
The Author would like to thank to Manager of HARAZ Extension and Technology development centre in Amol
and national rice research institute in Rasht for funding support and thank to Prof. Uphoff from Cornell University
for his kind assistance.
References
Barison J and Uphoff N, 2011. Rice yield and its relation to root growth and nutrient-use efficience under SRI
and conventional cultivation: an evaluation in Madagascar. Paddy Water Environ 9:65-78
Barison J, 2003. Nutrient use efficiency and nutrient uptake in conventional and intensive (SRI) rice cultivation
systems in Madagascar. Master's Thesis. Cornell university.USA. New york.
Chapagain T, Yamaji E, 2010. The effects of irrigation method, age of seedling and spacing on crop
performance, productivity and water-wise rice production in Japan. Paddy Water Environ 8(1):81-90
Laulanie H, 1993. Le system de riziculture intensive malgache. Tropicultura (Belgium) 11:110-114
Lin X, Zhu D, and Lin X, 2011. Effects of water management and organic fertilization with SRI crop practices on
hybrid rice performance and rhizosphere dynamics. Paddy Water Environ. 9:33-29
Mishra A, Salokhe VM, 2010. The effects of planting pattern and water regime on root morphology, physiology
and grain yield of rice, J Agron Crop Sci.
Poshtmasari HK, Pirdashti H, Nasiri M, Bahmanyar MA, 2007. Chlorophyll content and biological yield of old and
modern rice cultivars in different urea fertilizer rates and applications. Asian J. Plant Sci. 6(1), 177-180
Randriamiharisoa R, Barison J, Uphoff N, 2006. Soil biological contributions to the System of Rice
Intensification. In: Uphoff N et al (eds) Biological strategies for sustainable soil systems. CRC Press, Boca
Raton, FL, pp 409424
Satyanarayana A, Thiyagarajan TM, Uphoff N, 2007. Opportunities for water-saving with higher yield from the
system of Rice intensification. Irrig Sci 25:87-97
Senthilkumar K, Bindraban PS, Thiyagarajan TM, de Ridder N, Giller KE, 2008. Modified rice cultivation in Tamil
Nadu, India: yield gains and farmers, (lack of) acceptance. Agric Syst 98:82-94
Shaiful Islam Md, Hasanuzzaman M, Rokonuzzaman M and Nahar K, 2009. Effect of split application of nitrogen
fertilizer on morphophysiological parameters of rice genotypes, International Journal of Plant Production 3
(1):51-62
Sinha SK, and Talati J, 2007. Productivity impacts of the system of rice intensification (SRI): a case study in
west Bengal, India. Agric Water Manage 87:55-60
Stoop WA, Uphoff N, Kassam AH, 2002. A review of agricultural research issues raised by the system of rice
intensification (SRI) from Madagascar: opportunities for improving farming systems for resource-poor
farmers. Agric Syst 71:249-274
Tabbal DF, Bouman Bhuijan SI, Sibayan EB, Sattar MA, 2002. On-farm strategies for reducing water input in
irrigated rice: case studies in the Philippines. Agric Water Manag 56:93-112
Thakur AK, Uphoff N, Antony E, 2010a. An assessment of physiological effects of System of Rice Intensification
(SRI) practices compared with recommended rice cultivation practices in India. Exper Agric 46:7798

730

Intl. J. Agron. Plant. Prod. Vol., 3 (S), 726-731, 2012

Thakur Amod K, Rath S, Patil DU and Kumar A, 2011. Effects on rice plant morphology and physiology of water
and associated management practices of the system of rice intensification and their implications for crop
performance. Paddy Water Environ 9:13-24.
Tuong TP, Bouman BAM, Mortimer M, 2005. More rice, less water-integrated approaches for increasing water
productivity in irrigated rice-based system in Asia. Plant prod Sci 8:231-241
Uphoff N, 2007. The system of rice intensification: Using alternative cultural practices to increase rice production
and profitability from existing yield potentials. International Rice Commission Newsletter, No. 55. Food
and Agriculture Organization, Rome
Zhang H, Xue Y, Wang Z, Yang J and Zhang J, 2009a. An alternate wetting and moderate soil drying regime
improves root and shoot growth in rice. Crop Sci 49:2246-2260
Zhang H, Zhang S, Zhang J, Yang J and Wang Z, 2008a. Post-anthesis moderate wetting drying improves both
quality and quantity of rice yield. Agron J 100:726-734
Zhao lM, Wu LH, Li YS, Animesh S, Zhu DF and Uphoff N, 2010. Comparisons of yield, water use efficiency, and
soil microbial biomass as affected by the system of rice intensification. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 41:112

731