Evaluation of Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Application Rates for Optimum Yield of Upland Rice in Mokwa (Southern Guinea Savanna) Nigeria

The rate of application of organo-mineral fertilizer (cured cattle dung + urea N) required for optimum yield of upland rice (NERICA 8) in Mokwa (southern guinea savanna) was investigated in 2016 and 2017. The treatments consisted of nine organo-mineral fertilizer (OMF) application rates of 0, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600 kg-1 and mineral fertilizer applied at the rate of 40N-20P-20K. The treatments were imposed by broadcasting at two weeks after planting upland rice. The experimental design was a randomize complete block (RCB), replicated three times. Upland rice was planted on the flat at a spacing of 20 x 20cm. Results obtained indicated that optimum numbers of tillers and panicles/m2 were obtained when OMF was applied at the rate of 200kg-1 in both years. An optimum upland rice yield of 1,150 and 1,280 kg-1 was also obtained when OMF was applied at the rate of 200kg-1 in 2016 and 2017 respectively