Practical Exercise No.

Ex. No. 2. ACQUIRING SKILL IN FIELD PREPARATION, SOWING AND

MANURING OF CROPS UNDER PURE AND INTERCROPPING
SITUATIONS FOR CEREALS AND MILLETS(RICE, MAIZE AND
SORGHUM)

Rice
Main field preparation for wet system:
Wet rice requires a well puddled soil. Ploughing under submerged soil condition is called
puddling. The land is ploughed repeatedly 3 or 4 times with an interval of about 4 days between
each puddling by country plough or mould board plough or tractor drawn cage wheel or by using
power tiller with a standing water of 3 to 5 cm. Optimum depth of puddling is 10 cm for clay and
clay loam soils.
Application of organic manures
i) Apply 12.5 t of FYM or compost / ha and spread the manure evenly on the dry soil before
applying the water.
ii) If FYM or compost is not available, apply green manure/green leaf manure at 6.25 t / ha.
Compute the green matter using the formula. Yield / m2 in kg x 10,000.
iii) The yield of green manure are as follows
Daincha : 10 to 15 t/ha
Sunhemp : 8 to 15 t/ha
Kolinji : 6 to 7.5 t/ha.
iv) Incorporation of green manure
Sesbania rostrata: Growing stem nodulating S. rostrata in the month of March to April.
Adopt seed rate of 50 to 60 kg/ha. Treat the seeds with rhizobial culture. Cut the crop at 45 to
60th day to have maximum green matter (25 to 30 t/ha).
v) Plough the green manure or green leaf manure directly in to the soil using mould board or
tractor cage wheel. Then maintain 2.5cm of water in the field. Incorporate the green manure
to a depth of 15cm using Burmese Setturn and allow to decompose for 7 days.
vi) When the green manure is applied, rock phosphate can be used as cheaper source of ‘P’. It
also harness the decompositions of stubbles in the second crop. Finally level the field using
leveling board.
Transplanting
- Puddle and level the fields after applying basal fertilizers.
- Seedlings are dibbled at desired spacing and depth.
Plant density and geometry: It varies with soil fertility, genotypes and soils. To exploit the full
potential of any genotype, optimum plant population is to be adopted.

Varietal Low and Medium Spacing (cm) High Fertility

Spacing (cm)
duration Fertility (Plants / ha ) (Plants / ha)
Short 8 lakhs 12.5 x 10 5.0 lakhs 20x10
Medium 5.0 lakhs 20 x 10 3.3 lakhs 20x15
 Long 3.3 lakhs 20 x 15 2.5 lakhs 20x20
Depth of Planting
Clay soil : 5 to 6 cm
Shallow soil : 2.5 to 3.0 cm
Number of seedings/ hill
Wet nursery: 2 to 2 seedling / hill
Dapog : 5 to 6 seedling / hill
Saline soil : 4 to 6 seedling / hill
Hybrid: 1 seedling/hill
Management of aged seedling
- Increase basal Nitrogen by 25%.
- Closer spacing.
- 80 hills/m2
- Increasing the number of seedlings / hill.
Transplanting shock: It occurs when the seedlings are pulled out from the nursery and planted
in the new environment. For recovery from shock, it will take minimum of 5 to 7 days under
tropics.
- Shallow planting reduces the period of shock
- Mild temperature after transplanting also reduces the period.
- Hot weather period delays recovery.
- Very cold weather period also delays recovery.
- Best temperature : <30o C maximum and > 20o C minimum.
Root dipping: In rice, root nematode is a problem. Dip the seedlings roots in the phosphomidon
0.02% solution for 20 minutes prior to planting.
For saline soils: Use saline tolerant variety.
- 25 days old seedling instead of 18 to 22 days.
- 4 to 6 seedlings / hill.
- Apply 25% more ‘N’ than recommended.
- Apply ZnSo4 at 32.5 (25% extra) kg/ha at the time of planting.
Application of biofertilizer to Rice
1. Azolla is a water fern which is used as a biofertilizer for rice and has been found effective.
Blue green algae, Anabaena azolla lives in the dorsal cavity of azollae and fix 'N'. It is also able
to reduce the 'N' bill to the extent of 25 to 30 kg / ha. It is raised as a dual crop and also applied
as green manure.
2. Blue green algae: Broadcast at the rate of 10 kg/ha of powdered blue green algae flakes 10
days after transplanting. Maintain thin film of water. Blue green algae multiply well from March
to September and can be used for any variety raised during that period.
3. Dipping roots in Azospirillum slurry. Prepare the slurry with 5 pockets (1000 g/ha of
Azospirillum inoculant in 40 lit of water and dip the root portion of the seedling for15 to 30
minutes in bacterial suspension and transplant the seedlings.
4. Soil application of Azospirillum: Mix 10 pockets (2000g/ha of Azospirillum inoculants with
25 kg FYM and 25 kg of soil and broadcast the mixture uniformly in the main field before
transplanting.
Nutrient management for low land transplanted rice
i) As far as possible, apply fertilizer as per soil test recommendation. If it is not followed,
adopt blanket recommendation as follows in Tamil Nadu.
Varieties N P2O5 K2O
Short duration 80-100 40 30 kg/ha
Medium and Long duration 100-150 50 40 kg/ha

ii) All P2O5 and K2O should be applied as basal at the time of puddling as quartering method only
in course textured (low CEC), K may be applied in two splits 50% at basal and 50% at maximum
tillering stage/panicle initiation stage.
iii) In clay soil, 'N' should be applied in three splits. 50% basal + 25% at early tillering + 25% at
one week before panicle initiation stage
iv) Application 25 kg of ZnSo4 at the time of sowing. Should not incorporate micronutrient. P
and K should be applied as quartering method

Other field crops

The field is ploughed twice with an iron plough and two to three times with a country
plough. In between ploughing, break the clods, if necessary, or plough 2-3 times more with
country plough to get a fine tilth. After land preparation, beds and channels or ridges and furrows
are formed at convenient dimension depending on the slope and water availability.
Irrigated Maize
Field preparation: The crop does not require fine tilth. Field is ploughed to a depth of 25 to 30
cm using mould board plough, followed by 3 or 4 ploughing with desi plough or harrow. In clay
soils main problem is the formation of hard pan. Chiseling reduces the hard pan formation and
there is increase in yield of 25 to 30%.
Land shaping: Among the different land shaping methods, ridges and furrow system is more
effective. Because water logging is less in this system.
Seed rate: Varieties/Composite : 18-20 kg/ha, Hybrids : 20-25 kg kg/ha
Spacing: 60 x 20 cm. 60000-80000 plants
Fertilizer management:
i. Soil test crop response based integrated plant nutrition system (STCR- IPNS). If soil test
recommendation is not available adopt a blanket recommendation of N:P:K at the rate of
120:60:40 kg/ha for hybrid maize and 80:30:20 for composite varieties.
ii. Apply quarter of the dose of N; full dose of P2O and K2O basally before sowing.
iii. In the case of ridge planted crop, open a furrow 6 cm deep on the side of the ridge, at two
thirds the distance from the top of the ridge.
iv. Apply the fertilizer mixture along the furrows evenly and cover to a depth of 4 cm with soil.
v. If bed system of planting is followed, open furrows 6 cm deep at a distance of 60 cm apart.
vi. Place the fertilizer mixture along the furrows evenly and cover to a depth of 4 cm with soil.
Time of application of fertilizers: 100% P and K should be applied as basal. ‘N’ should be
applied in 3 splits. Why?
In all the cereal crops, there is 2 peak stages of uptake, where as in Maize, there are 3
peak stages of uptake.
Ist peak 30-35 days. (Knee high stage)
IInd peak 50-60 days (Tasselling)
IIIrd peak 70-80 days (Dough stage).
Hence ‘N’ should be applied in 3 splits. Basal 1/3 N, 1/3 at Knee high stage, 1/3 N at
Tasselling stage.
Biofertilizers: Seed treatment with 3 pockets of Azospirillum followed by soil application of
Azospirillum @10 pockets (2 kg/ha) with FYM at 50 kg/ha,
ZnSO4: Apply ZnSo4 at 25 kg/ha at the time of sowing. If not possible to apply at basal, foliar
spray of 0.5% ZnSo4 at critical stages is recommended. ‘Zn’ deficiency cause “White bud” in
Maize. Apical leaves become white.
For getting maximum yield: For irrigated crop adopt 60000-80000 plants (60 x 20cm) with
120:60:40 kg NPK /ha (N in 3 splits) + 25kg ZnSo4/ha.

JOWAR or SORGHUM
RAINFED SORGHUM
Field preparation: Field has to be prepared well in advance taking advantage of early showers.
FYM @) 12.5 t/ha applied at last ploughing. i) Chiselling the soil with hard pan or shallow soil
once in three years. ii) Depending on the rainfall and soil type, different land shaping methods
may be adopted for conservation of the moisture. Black soil having high rainfall areas and hence
form broad bed and furrow. In Black soils having low rainfall, form compartmental bunding or
sow the seeds in flat bed and form furrows between crops during inter cultivation or during third
week after sowing for both the soil types or form dead furrow at 3 m interval. In main field,
apply 2 kg of Azospirillum and 2 kg of phosphobacteria with 25 kg of FYM + 25 kg of soil.
Sowing: Sow the seeds before onset of monsson at 5cm depth with seed cum fertilizer drill or by
seed drill or by country plough. Before sowing, the seed is pelletised with 15g of chlorpyriphos
in 150 ml of gum and seeds are dried.
Pre monsoon sowing / dry seeding: Sowing a week or 2 weeks before on set of monsoon.

Spacing
Sole Sorghum : 45x15 or 45x10 cm (1,80,000 plants/ha)
Intercropping and Paired row system : 60/30x15cm.
Fertilizer : EYM @ 12.5 t/ha during last ploughing.
 NPK: 40:20:0 kg/ha. ‘P’ is applied as basal as Enriched FYM. ‘N’ may be applied in two
splits. 50% basal + 50% at 25 DAS depending up on the rainfall. For high rainfall of North India
where sorghum is grown during South West Monsoon (kharif season), the recommended NPK is:
80:40:40 kg/ha. 50% N and entire P and K should be applied as basal, remaining 50% N as top
dressing at 25 to 30 DAS depending on the rainfall. During rabi season : NPK at 40:20:0 kg/ha.
Entire fertilizer is applied as basal by drilling the fertilizer.
IRRIGATED SORGHUM
Main field preparation for both direct seeded and transplanted crop
- Sorghum does not require fine tilth. Plough the field with an iron plough once and twice
with a country plough.
- To overcome the sub soil hard pan in Alfisol, chiseling the field at 0.5 m interval to a depth
of 40 cm on both the direction of the field followed by disc ploughing once and cultivator
ploughing twice help to increase the yield.
- Apply 12.5 t FYM or compost /ha with 2 kg of Azospirillum (10 pockets/ha) and
incorporate the manure in the soil by working a country plough.
- Form ridges and furrows at 45cm apart using ridge plough.
Fertilizer management
Transplanted crop: If soil test recommendation is not available, follow the blanket
recommendation of 60kg N and 40 kg P /ha.
- 50% N and entire P should be applied basally before planting.
- Remaining 50% N as top dressed on 15 days after planting.
Direct seeded crop: Blanket recommendation: 90:45:45 kg NPK /ha.
- Apply 50% N and entire P basally
- Remaining 50% N on 25 to 30 DAS
Micronutrient
 For Zn deficient soils, apply 25 kg ZnSO4 /ha at the time of sowing / transplanting.
 For Fe deficient soils, apply 50kg FeSO4 at sowing or at planting.
Foliar spray of Micronutrient:
 If ZnSO4 is not applied basally and if Zn deficiency is noticed, spray ZnSO 4 at 0.5%
concentration.
 Similarly FeSO4 at 1% concentration at 2 or 3 stages.
Optimum plant population: 45 x 15cm, 180000-200000 plants/ha for both direct and
transplanted crop. For raising intercrop, paired row system, 60//30x15cm may be adopted. Raise
one row of pulses in between 60cm row spacing.
Thinning and gap filling: In the direct sown crop, thin one seeding per hill and gap fill the
thinned out seedlings 10 to 15 DAS, maintaining a spacing of 15cm between plants.

Exercise:
1. Write the advantages of green manuring in rice crop.
2. Briefly write fertilizer application in maize crop.