EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION SCHEDULING AND ORGANIC FERTILIZER ON RICE CROP GROWTH AND YIELD USING BASIN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
The need for additional food supplies to reduce poverty among smallholder farmers resulted to rapid expansion of irrigation by developing small-scale irrigation schemes and techniques required for tackling household food insecurity. However, high cost of energy for water application and availability, quality and cost of inorganic fertilizer are among the major constraints militating against the productivity of small holder rice irrigation farmers in Nigeria. Thus, this study investigated the effects of varying irrigation schedules and chicken manure application on the growth and yield of irrigated rice (Oriza Sativa L.) using basing irrigation technique at Namtari to establish a decision-making tool for smallholder farmers to increase the grain yield potential at low cost of production. The experiment employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with sixteen treatments, combining four irrigation intervals (6, 8, 10 days and Irregular intervals) and four chicken manure application rates (0, 8, 10 and 12 tons/ha). The rice variety used was Gawal R1 (CHAOTAN), lowland variety resistant to various stresses. Results showed that the 6-day irrigation schedule with a 10 ton chicken manure application rate (I6C10) resulted in highest growth height value and crop grain yield of 115.15 cm and 7.50 tons/ha, respectively, compared to other treatments in the study area. The 6-day irrigation schedule also demonstrated superior water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity (WP), highlighting the effectiveness of optimized irrigation combined with organic fertilizers. The incorporation of chicken manure improved the water-holding capacity, ensuring consistent moisture availability during critical growth stages. Thus a 6-day irrigation interval combined with moderate amount of chicken manure at the rate of 10 tons/ha is recommended as a sustainable approach to rice production in semi-arid regions that will promote both crop productivity and resources conservation.
Authors : Yohanna, J.Z. and Tya, T.S.K.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 11(2) Date Uploaded : 23rd September 2025