MANIPULATION OF PLANT GROWING ENVIRONMENT TO INCREASE YIELD OF INDIGENOUS DROUGHT TOLERANT UPLAND RICE

The objective of this study was to increase growth and yield of local upland rice tolerant to drought in sub-optimal environments through the application of N, P, K and organic fertilizers. The experimental design used was split plot with three replications. The main plot was four levels of fertilizers (P), i.e. P0 (control = without fertilizer), P1 (inorganic fertilizer = N, P, K), P2 (NPK + C. odorata bokashi, 10 t ha-1) and P3 (NPK + manure, 10 t ha-1 (P2), while the sub-plot was 5 indigenous tolerant-to-drought upland rice cultivars (G), i.e. Pae Tinangge (G1), Pae Indalibana (G2), Pae Bou (G3), Pae Lapodidi (G4) and Pae Waburi-Buri (G5). The results showed that manipulating plant growing conditions with NPK and organic fertilizers increased growth and yield of Pae Tinagge, Indalibana, Bou, Lapodidi and Waburi-Buri. The upland rice cv. Pae Tinangge showed shorter plant heights and harvest times (129 days vs 139-143 days), but produced more productive tillers and higher grain weight than the other cultivars