Effect of gypsum and organic amendments on rice yield in a sodic soil

A field experiment was conducted to improve rice yield in sodic soil through combined application of gypsum with organic amendments. The experiment was carried out in the rabi season at ADAC & RI, Tiruchirappalli. The experiment was laid out in RBD in triplicate. The study included ten treatments viz., Control, gypsum @ 25 and 50 per cent of gypsum requirement (GR) with dhaincha incorporation, gypsum @ 25 and 50 per cent GR + dhaincha incorporation + distillery yeast sludge @ 5 t ha⁻¹, gypsum @ 25 and 50 per cent GR + dhaincha incorporation + sugarcane trash compost @ 10 t ha⁻¹, gypsum @ 25 and 50 per cent GR + dhaincha incorporation + poultry manure @ 5 t ha⁻¹, gypsum @ 25 and 50 per cent GR + dhaincha incorporation + pressmud @ 10 t ha⁻¹. Application of gypsum @ 50 percent GR + dhaincha incorporation + poultry manure @ 5 t ha⁻¹ produced higher grain yield of 5683 kg ha⁻¹ and registered a yield increase ranging from 13.0 to 38.9 per cent over the other treatments and registered higher net return of 56, 349 ha⁻¹ with B: C ratio of 2.41 followed by the application of gypsum @ 25 percent GR + dhaincha incorporation + poultry manure @ 5 t ha⁻¹ (net return: 49, 871 ha⁻¹; B: C ratio: 2.46). Thus, best yield enhancement and higher monetary return in rice under sodic soil were achieved through the application of gypsum @ 25 or 50 per cent GR + dhaincha incorporation + poultry manure @ 5 t ha⁻¹.