Phosphorus management of a rice-wheat cropping system

A long term field experiment was conducted on a sandy loam soil from 1983 to 1987 to determine how to best apply phosphorus fertilizer in a rice-wheat cropping system. The treatments included 9 combinations of phosphorus application either to both rice and wheat or to rice or wheat alone. Direct application of phosphorus at 13 kg/ha to both the crops resulted in significantly higher total productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system as compared with 26 kg P/ha applied either to rice or wheat alone. Phosphorus at 13 kg/ha for rice and 26 kg/ha for wheat was as efficient as 13 kg P/ha for rice and 13 kg P/ha for wheat. The higher rate of P (26 kg/ha) applied to both rice and wheat resulted a decline in the total productivity. The residual effects of phosphorus applied to either rice or wheat were significant to the succeeding crop but was inferior to its direct application. Phosphorus increased the leaf area index, chlorophyll content of leaves, and interception of more photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) which resulted in increased grain yield of rice and wheat. Phosphorus status of the surface soil declined markedly, in the absence of P application from 15.4 to 6.4 kg P/ha. Phosphorus applied at 26 kg P/ha to both the crops resulted a build up of the available P status of soil. Phosphorus application at 13 kg/ha to both rice and wheat maintained the phosphorus status of the soil at original level.