THE EFFECTS OF NANO PHOSPHATIC FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SOME EGYPTIAN RICE VARIETIES (ORYZA SATIVA L.)

Abstract

A tow-season field investigation was conducted at The Experimental Farm of RRTC (Rice Research & Training Center), Sakha, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, during 2018 and 2019 to examine the impact of nano phosphatic fertilizer utilization on the performance of four Egyptian rice varieties. The selected tested varieties were Sakha106, Sakha107, Giza177, and Giza179. The phosphorus fertilizer treatments included superphosphate (15% P2O5) as a soil application, nano-phosphorus as a foliar application, superphosphate as a foliar application and control (distilled water). Superphosphate was incorporated into the soil at the rate of 36 kg ha -1 for the first treatment. Nano-phosphorus (1%) and superphosphate (2%) were sprayed at 35 and 45 days after transplanting (DAT) for the second and third treatments. The application of phosphorus fertilizers increased the number of tillers per m 2 , the number of branches per panicle, filled grains number per panicle, 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield (t ha -1 ) and straw yield (t ha -1 ) for al tested rice varieties. Superphosphate soil application and a foliar application of nano phosphorus to Giza 179 surpassed the other plural in terms of grain and straw yields in both seasons. Application of phosphorus as superphosphate or nano-phosphorus enhanced grain quality characteristics as well as nitrogen and phosphorus content in milled grains.