Performance and Trace Element Uptake of Rice Varieties under Different Fertilizer Application

This paper underscores the influence of different fertilizers application on the growth, yield and some trace elements uptake of two released local rice varieties widely cultivated and consumed in northern Ghana. Field experiments were conducted at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute at Nyankpala in the Northern Region of Ghana, to compare the performance of the rice varieties, viz. Digan and Nabogu. They were treated with three different inorganic fertilizers – NPK 15-15-15 (NPK), Sulphate of Ammonia (SA) and Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) and a control plot with no fertilizer treatment. The variety, Digan, showed shorter number of days (95) to 50% flowering than the Nabogu variety (107 days). The Digan variety yielded more under NPK and SA treatments than the Nabogu variety. The trace elements, Cd and Pb uptake by the two rice varieties were also assessed and found to be below detection limits. Fe and Mn were detected at an average of 2.540 and 0.419 mg/l respectively (within acceptable levels by FAO/WHO guidelines). Keywords: heavy metal, bioavailability, inorganic fertilizer, split plot, iron, manganes