IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

Research article
erdComparison of Fertilizer Management to Increase Yield
and Quality of RicePUMISAK INTANON*
Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University,
Phitsanulok, Thailand
Email: pumisak_intanon@hotmail.com
Received 12 December 2012

Accepted 30 January 2013(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract The purpose of this research was to improve the productivity and quality of rice.
This research was to compare various types of fertilizers that are suitable for growing rice.
Six experimental models were arranged in RCBD with 3 replications consisting of 18 fieldplots comprising a total of 5 Rai. Each model was designated as: T0 (no fertilizer: Control
group), T1 (pellet compost), T2 (Compost mixed bio-liquid fertilizer), T3 (compost mixed
mineral formula called formula-1), T4 (compost mixed higher mineral formula called
formula-2), and T5 (compost mixed the highest mineral formula called formula-3). Each
type of fertilizer was used at a rate of 50 kilograms per Rai. The rice seed used in thetesting was Phitsanulok #2. The experiment was located at Moo 13, Ban Huaidang,
Prompiram city, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand during April 2012 to September 2012.
The soil data and fertilizers used in an experiment were collected for reference andanalysis. Plant Environmental data, growth data, Yields, yield components and production
costs were also collected. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and DMRT
at a 95% level of confidence. The analysis on the macro- nutrients from the fertilizer was
designated: T5, T4, T3, T2 and T1, respectively. The plant growth data the maximum
outputs are ranked from T3, T5, T4, T2, T1 and T0 models, respectively. According to thestudy results on yield and yield components the maximum outputs are ranked from T3, T5,
T4, T2, T1 and T0 models (1,119.4, 990.3, 949.3, 872.2, 813.2 and 781.0 kilograms perRai, respectively). In case of the T3 model compared with T0 (no fertilizer), it was foundthat the productivity increased 43.3% and the percentage of withered rice decreased 60%.
In the study of total production costs, it was found that the maximum production costs per
Rai was T5, T4, T3, T2, T1 and T0 models with 6,850, 6,800, 6,730, 6,540, 6,380 and
5,880 Baht per Rai, respectively. When compared with the yields, the least-costs riceproduction per 1 kilogram were ranked from T3,T5, T4, T2, T0 and T1 models with 6.01,
6.19, 7.16, 7.49, 7.52 and 7.84 Baht per kilogram, respectively. When selling rice at
11,500 Baht per ton, it was found that the highest profits of the models were as follows: T3,
T5, T4, T2, T0 and T1 with 6,143.1, 4,538.4, 4,116.9, 4,390.3, 3,101.5 and 2,971.8 Baht
per Rai, respectively.
Keywords fertilizer, fertilizer management, rice, quality of rice

INTRODUCTION
The farmers at Moo 13, Ban Huaidang, Prompiram Sub-district, Prompiram District, Phitsanulok
Province, Thailand utilize water from Naresuan dam located in Phitsanulok Province to irrigate
their rice farms twice a year. The majority of farmers use chemical fertilizer and pesticide toincrease the productivity without any basic knowledge on types of fertilizers, proper use or riceproduction costs. This lack of knowledge leads to higher production cost, soil deterioration, andchemicals left on the product that is unsafe to the consumers (Intanon et al., 2011). As a result of
the poor farming methods these farmers have a low income with higher debts.

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OBJECTIVE
Therefore, this research aimed to improve productivity and the quality of rice by promoting thecultivation of high-yield rice using effective economical fertilizers.
METHODOLOGY
1. The Experimental Plan: The six experimental models were arranged in RCBD with 3
replications. There were 18 field plots covering a total of 5 Rai. Each model consists of T0 (nofertilizer: Control group), T1 (pellet compost), T2 (Compost mixed bio-liquid fertilizer), T3(compost mixed mineral formula called formula-1), T4 (compost mixed higher mineral formula
called formula-2), and T5 (compost mixed the highest mineral formula called formula-3). Each
type of fertilizers was used at a rate of 50 kg per Rai 1( Rai = 1,600 M2), the rice seed used for thetesting was Phitsanulok #2. The growing test area was located at Moo 13, Ban Huaidang,
Prompiram Sub-district, Prompiram District, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, the test period was
between April 2012 to September 2012.
2. Data Collection: data collected consists of following information: 1) weather condition andplant environment at the field plots; 2) analysis of soil before and after the experiment by exploring
the macro-nutrients (N, P, K) ,the secondary nutrients (Ca, Mg, S), the micro-nutrients (B, Fe, Cu,
Zn, Mn), and the analysis of pH and OM; 3) analysis of the fertilizers by investigating the macronutrients (N, P, K), the secondary nutrients (Ca, Mg, S), the micro-nutrients (B, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn),these tests were conducted at the Soil Science Lab, Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources andEnvironment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok; 4) data on the vegetative growth collected every
ten days (e.g. the stem and leaf height, the number of leaves per plant, the number of stem perclump, root-system length and total weight per plant); 5) data on yields and yield components after
harvesting and an investigation on the length of panicle of rice, number of rice seeds per panicle ofrice, number of healthy seeds and withered seeds per panicle of rice, the number of panicle of rice
per square meter, the number of panicle of rice per field plot, the weight of 1,000 seeds, the weightof seeds per field plot, and production per Rai; 6) data on the total production costs. The data were
statistically analyzed using ANOVA and DMRT model at a 95% level of confidence used forcomparison of treatments.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The weather condition and plant environment at the field plots during the test period of April to
September 2012 showed that temperature ranged between 23-36oC, the average rainfall was 73.3
millimeters per month. However, the model area was also irrigated with water from the Naresuan
dam. The analysis of soil before the experiment illustrated poor soil conditions, low to moderatelevel organic compounds of soil, acid soil with a low pH, a very low level of phosphorus andpotassium and low acidic water (Japkaew and Intanon, 2010). After the experiment, it was foundout that the acidity of the soils that were fertilized with the three types of compost mixed mineralformula was reduce. This could result from the minerals, calcium or dolomites contained in theformula adjusting the levels of the acid soil pH.
Fertilizer analysis data in Table 1 showed that the analysis of fertilizer nutrients used in theexperiment and the models that contained maximum nutrients (the macro-nutrients, the secondary
nutrients, the micro-nutrients) were T5, T4, T3, T2, and T1with 66.07%, 62.09%, 61.53%, 12.29%,
and 9.66%, respectively.
Vegetative growth data showed that the models having the highest results on vegetative
growth were as follows: T3, T5, T4, T2, T1, and T0, respectively. The height of the stem andleaves was in accordance with nutrient balance of the fertilizers which provided high level ofnitrogen, secondary nutrients, and micro-nutrients. As a result, the compost mixed mineral formula(T3, T5, T4) provided a better growth than other fertilizers (Intanon, 2009). Besides having
nitrogen which is necessary component in cell division in the fertilizers, the secondary nutrients,© ISERD
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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2013) 4-2

and the micro-nutrients were also correlated to cell division, the construction of chlorophyll,
photosynthesis in plants, growth of stems and leaves (Table 2).

Table 1 Analysis of fertilizers used in the experiment
pH

OM
%
14.50
12.20

Total
N,P,K
(%)
2.14
7.31

Total
Ca, Mg,
S (%)
2..2
2..4

Total
B, Fe, Cu,
Zn, Mg (%)
0.004221
0.005323

6.8
6.8

8.66
12.29

7.0

5.09

50.90

16.01

0.006268

61.53

7.2

3.23

50.50

11...

0.005687

62.09

7.5

3.13

.1.66

11.61

0.006165

66.07

Treatments
T0 No fertilizer (Control)
T1 Pellet compost
T2 Compost mixed bio-liquid fertilizer
T3 Compost mixed mineral formula,called formula-1
T4 Compost mixed higher mineral formula,called formula-2
T5 Compost mixed the highest mineralformula ,called formula-3

Total
(%)

Table 2 the analysis of vegetative growth
Treatments

stemheight*number ofleaves per
plant
27.8c
29.8c
31.6b

numberstem pertussock
7.6d
7.7d
8.2c

root-system
lengthtotal weight
per plant

T0 No fertilizer (Control)
80.2c
25.0c
4.8d
T1 Pellet compost
86.5b
26.4b
5.5c
T2 Compost mixed bio-liquid Fertilizer
86.5b
26.6b
5.5c
T3 Compost mixed mineral formula,
94.7a
37.3a
9.8a
28.9a
7.0a
called formula-1
T4 Compost mixed higher mineral formula,
88.5b
33.8b
8.8b
27.6a
6.2b
called formula-2
T5 Compost mixed the highest mineral
91.8a
36.2a
9.5a
28.6a
6.8a
formula, called formula-3
F-Test
*
*
*
*
**
% cv
9.5
9.6
6.6
8.7
8.8
* Significant at 95% confident interval in each column of the same period, the different in small letter indicatedsignificant at 95% by DMRT** Significant at 99 % confident interval in each column of the same period, the different in small letter indicatedsignificant at 99 % by DMRTYields and yield component data showed that the yields and yield components related to thelength of panicle, number of rice seeds per panicle of rice, number of healthy seeds and withered
seeds per panicle of rice, the number of panicle of rice per square meter, the number of panicle ofrice per a field plot, the weight of 1,000 seeds, the weight of seeds per a field plot. The highest
results were from methods as follows: T3, T5, T4, T2, T1 and T0 methods. In addition, it was
found that the maximum outputs production per Rai were ranked from T3, T5, T4, T2, T1 and T0
methods (1,119.4, 990.3, 949.3, 872.2, 813.2 and 781.0 kilograms per Rai, respectively). In case of
the T3 model compared with T0 (no fertilizer), it was found that the productivity increased 43.3%
and the percentage of withered rice decreased 60% (Table 3).
As illustrated in Table 3, fertilizers had a continuous and relative influence on the plants andvegetative growth. Plants grew fast and well resulting from the balance of nutrients which consistsof the macro-nutrients, the secondary nutrients, and the micro-nutrients. In the vegetative phase,
there were more green area which could be seen from the higher shoots, more leaves, and moreclump. Therefore, this created more areas for photosynthesis in plants. Nutrients (Nitrogen, Iron,
Copper, Zinc, Sulphur, and Magnesium) were the main factors in synthesis which created organic
compounds (carbohydrate and sugar) in plants. The greater number of nutrients, the more organic
compound was produced (Chuinon and Intanon, 2011). As a result, there was the weight gain interms of the weight of each ear of rice and the weight of 1,000 seeds due to the accumulation of© ISERD
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more carbohydrate. It was shown that the yield components improvement resulted in highproductivity. It is clear that compost mixed higher mineral formula provided the maximum outputs
production (T3, T5, and T4, respectively). In contrast, inadequate and unbalanced nutrient use
could significantly result in an increase of withered rice grains per ear (T0 and T1 respectively).
Table 3 Yield and yield components
Treatments

earlength(cm)

number ofseeds perear (seed)number of number of number of number of weight of weight
healthy withered rice
ear per
ear per plot ear (g) of 1,000
seeds perper earsquare meter
field
seeds
ear (seed)(seed)
(ear)
(ear)
(g)

weightof earper plot
field
(kg)

yield
(kg/Rai)T0 No
fertilizer
19.5c
114.1c81.7d
50.6c
191.0d5,920d2.24c
22.4c
13.26e 141.0d(Control)T1 Pellet
22.1c
126.1b88.4d36.2b
219.7c6,226d
2.43b 28.4b
15.12c 411.2ccompostT2 Compost
mixed bio22.2c
126.7b103.0c35.4b222.3c6,590c2.45b 28.6b
17.14b 414.2b
liquid fertilizer
T3 Compost
mixed mineral
26.8a
135.3a146.5a12.6a236.3a7,550a2.93a 35.2 a 22.12a 1,119.4a
formula, called
formula-1
T4 Compost
mixed higher
mineral23.6b130.5a113.1b18.5a229.3b7,264b2.66a
32.1a
19.32b .2..3b
formula, called
formula-2
T. Compost
mixed thehighest mineral 24.8b
132.6a110.0a15.5a232.0a7,332b
2.78a
32.5a
20.38a ..6.3a
formula ,called
formula-3
F-Test
*
**
*
**
**
*
*
**
*
**
%cv
6.5
4.8
0.6
9.6
12.2
9.5
12.7
8.8
9.6
12.2
* Significant at 95 % confident interval in each column of the same period, the different in small letter indicatedsignificant at 95 % by DMRT** Significant at 99 % confident interval in each column of the same period, the different in small letter indicatedsignificant at 99 % by DMRTIn the study of total production costs, it was found out that T5 has the highest production costof 6,850 Bahts follows by T4) 6,800 Bahts, T3) 6,110 Bahts, T2) 6,.20 Bahts, T1) 6,140 Bahts,
Baht per tons, it was found that the highest profits of the successive models were as follows: T3, T5,
T4, T2, T0 and T1 (6,143.1, 4,538.4, 4,116.9, 4,390.3, 3,101.5 and 2,971.8 Baht per Rai,
respectively).
Total production cost was indicated that the production cost of the three types of compost
mixed higher mineral formula were higher, especially T3, however, it yielded the highest
productivity per Rai which reduced the production cost per kilogram .Even though T3 had thehigher production cost, it provided the highest profit (Intanon et al., 2010). While T0, T1, and T2
had the lower production cost, they received less productivity. It is clear that the production cost
per kilogram of T0, T1, and T2 were higher when selling rice at 11.50 Baht per kilogram or at
11,500 Baht per ton and obtained less profit (Table 4).

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Table 4 The total production costs

Description

T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
No fertilizer
Pellet Compost compost mixed Compost mixed Compost mixed(Control)compost mixed
mineralhigher mineral
the highest
bio-liquid formula, called formula, calledmineralfertilizer
formula-1
formula-2
formula ,called
formula-3

1. ploughing and levelling
066
066
066
066
066
066
(2 times x 300 Baht/Rai)
2. seeds (35 kg/Rai x 20 Baht)
700
700
700
700
700
700
3. fertilizer/bag
266
.66
750
446
870
4. plant growth hormones(250 Baht x 1 time) and plant
hormones for ear of rice(300
456
456
456
456
456
456
Baht x 2 times) = 850 Baht
per Rai
5. pesticide (220 Baht x 1 time)
446
446
446
446
446
446
6. insecticide
266
266
266
266
266
266
(200 Baht x 2 times)
7. fuel for water pump andfuel for looking after rice
800
800
800
800
800
800
plants8. harvesting machine rent,
600
600
600
600
600
600
included fuel9. total expense
4,170
4,570
4,730
4,920
4,990
5,040
10. labour cost during the
1,110
1,410
1,410
1,410
1,410
1,410
production period *11. total cost
.,446
0,146
0,.26
0,116
0,466
0,4.6
12. rice yield(kg/Rai)
781.06813.26872.26
1,119.46
949.36990.36
13. cost of productivity
7.52
7.84
7.49
6.01
7.16
6.19
(Baht/kg)
14. income when selling
11,500 Baht/ton or 11.50
4,.41..
.,1.1.4 16,616.1
14,411.1
16,.10..
11,144.2
Baht/kg
15. profit (Baht/kg)
3.98
3.66
4.01
5.49
4.34
5.31
Profit(Baht/Rai)
3,101.5
2,971.8
3,490.3
6,143.1
4,116.9
4,538.4* a labour cost of production six-month-period excluded T0 which had no fertilizer and direct seeding labour cost.

CONCLUSION
According to the research findings, it can be concluded that:
1. The fertilizers that contained the most N, P,K, Ca, Mg, S and micro nutrients were T5, T3, T4,
T2, and T1, respectively.
2. Fertilizers that enhance rice growth to achieve maximum vegetative growths must have abalance of nutrients consisting of a high number of macro-nutrients and secondary nutrients. It canbe little of micro-nutrients and complete with all types of nutrients.
3. Fertilizers or yield models used to maximize outputs were ranked from T3, T5, T4, T2, T1 andT0 (1,119.4, 990.3, 949.3, 872.2, 813.2 and 781.0 kilograms per Rai, respectively). In case of theT3 model compared with no fertilizer, it was found that the productivity increased 43.3% and thepercentage of withered rice decreased 60%.
4. In the study of total production costs, it was found that the maximum production costs per Rai
was T5, T4, T3, T2, T1 and T0 models ( 6,850, 6,800, 6,730, 6,540, 6,380 and 5,880 Baht per Rai,
respectively). When compared with the yields, the least-costs rice production per 1 kilogram wereranked from T3,T5, T4, T2, T0 and T1 models ( 6.01, 6.19, 7.16, 7.49, 7.52 and 7.84 Baht per
kilogram, respectively).

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