Poultry Litter Induces Tillering in Rice
2007
Belefant-Miller, H.
Poultry litter (PL) is used as a soil amendment for numerous crops including rice (Oryza sativa L.). Although it is known that overall rice growth and yield are improved by the addition of PL to the soil, tiller number is here identified as a specific parameter that is increased by PL. Since the addition of PL can have highly variable results in field studies, a relatively quick, small-scale, and controlled system was developed for examining the effects of PL on young rice plants grown in pots in the greenhouse. This system has several advantages over field experiments. Since the effects of PL can be observed early in rice growth by measuring early tiller production, tests can be done in a shorter time period. Greenhouse tests can also be carried out throughout the year. The application of either PL or inorganic fertilizer to the soil increases tiller number, but the combination of PL and fertilizer results in a synergistic increase in early tillers. Tiller induction by PL occurred in a number of rice cultivars which included highand low-tillering varieties. Tiller induction occurred with multiple commercial PL sources from different areas of North America and thus fromdifferent varieties of chickens, bedding material, and feeds. Since each of the diverse commercial PLs induced tillering, it must be considered that the tiller induction factor(s) are derived from the chickens. The molecular mechanisms for tillering are not understood and PL then could be valuable as a triggering mechanism for studying this phenomenon.
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