I.R. Willett

Phosphorus nutrition of rice in relation to flooding and temporary loss of soil-water saturation in two lowland soils of Cambodia

In the rainfed lowlands, temporary loss of soil-water saturation during crop growth is a common factor limiting rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield but its effects on phosphorus (P) availability are poorly understood. Rice plants were transplanted into pots containing soils that were either continuously flooded, maintained at field capacity or flooded and then dried to field capacity for 3 weeks during the vegetative stage. A black clay soil (Kandic Plinthaquult) and a sandy soil (Plinthustalf) from south-east Cambodia were compared with or without amendments by rice straw and P fertilizer.Under continuously flooded conditions, the growth of rice was vigorous without straw addition and there was a strong response of rice growth to the addition of P fertilizer. The soil underwent reduction, which increased pH from 4.2 to 5.5 or 6.0, in the black clay or sandy soil, respectively. By contrast, a loss of soil-water saturation 3 weeks before panicle initiation (PI) markedly impaired the growth of rice. This was not through any effect of water stress, and the growth reductions were not as strong as with continued loss of soil-water saturation from transplanting to PI. Fluctuations in soil pH and Eh corresponded closely to changes in soil-water regimes. Growth reductions were attributed to reduced shoot P levels resulting from the decline in P availability during the loss of soil-water saturation. The addition of rice straw stimulated soil reduction and lessened changes in soil pH and Eh during the loss of soil-water saturation in both soils. Straw addition enhanced P uptake by the rice plants during loss of soil-water saturation, but its beneficial effects could not be attributed to the direct addition of P, N or K to the soils. Thus the application of rice straw may be effective in lessening the effects of temporary loss of soil-water saturation on rice growth in lowland rice soils by minimising the decline in P availability.

Amelioration of growth reduction of lowland rice caused by a temporary loss of soil-water saturation

Decreases in nutrient availability after loss of soil-water saturation are significant constraints to productivity in lowland rainfed rice soils. The effectiveness of soil amendments like lime and straw in ameliorating these constraints are poorly understood. This pot experiment was conducted in Cambodia to investigate changes in soil chemical properties and nutrient uptake by rice after applying lime or straw to continuously flooded or intermittently flooded soil. In continuously flooded soils, exchangeable Al decreased to below 0.2 cmolc/kg. Liming (pH 6.5–6.8) the continuously flooded soil decreased the levels of acetate extractable Fe and P, plant P uptake and shoot dry matter, but had no effect on either Bray-1 or Olsen extractable P values. By contrast, the addition of straw (3.5 g dry straw/kg soil) increased Bray-1, Olsen, and acetate extractable P, plant P uptake, shoot P, and shoot dry matter. The non-amended soils became strongly acidic after loss of soil water saturation: extractable Al increased to 1.0 cmolc/kg, a potentially harmful level for rice. By contrast, extractable P decreased markedly under loss of soil water saturation as did plant P uptake, shoot P, and shoot dry matter. With loss of soil water saturation, liming substantially depressed the levels of Al but it did not increase plant P uptake, shoot P, and shoot dry matter. Straw addition not only decreased extractable Al levels to well below 0.6 cmolc/kg under loss of soil water saturation, but it also increased extractability of soil P, plant P uptake, shoot P, and shoot dry matter. Thus, in rainfed environments, the incorporation of straw may be more effective than liming to pH 6.8 for minimising the negative effects of temporary loss of soil-water saturation on P availability, P uptake, and growth of rice.