Identification of Nutrients Limiting Rice Growth in Soils of Northeast Thailand under Water-Limiting and Non-Limiting Conditions

Glasshouse nutrient omission trials are useful in identifying nutrient limitations for plant growth in soils under the same environmental conditions. Soils of low fertility are commonly used for production of rainfed lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.), and the crop often encounters water stress. Nutrient requirements may be modified when standing water disappears from the field. Two experiments with rice seedlings were conducted in a glasshouse at Ubon Rice Research Center, Thailand, to identify the nutrients which limit rice growth in soils of Northeast Thailand, and to determine whether nutrient limitations are affected by water availability. In Experiment 1, rice was grown on two soils (Roi et and Ubon series) under well-watered and water-limiting conditions, and 15 nutrient treatments were imposed. In Experiment 2, six soils from Northeast Thailand were examined using the same 15 nutrient treatments. The nutrients which clearly limited the growth of rice plants in soils of Northeast Thailand were nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). In some cases, potassium (K) and sulfur (S) also limited growth, and in one soil zinc (Zn) and boron (B) also limited growth. A shortage of N was the most important limitation for plant growth in all soils except one in which P was more important. The low supply of P decreased plant height and leaf area development during early growth ; low N supply had a greater effect later during growth. The omission of P had a larger detrimental effect on growth when water supply was limited. In the Roi et soil, the omission of S had a large effect on leaf area and total dry matter production only under water stress conditions, but this was not found in the other soils examined. These results from glasshouse studies show that the nutrients limiting rice growth depend on soil type and water availability in soils of Northeast Thailand.