Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Nano-Fertilizers on Growth and Seed of Two Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivars

Optimum use of fertilizer plays a key role in enhancing the yield of rice and other crops. The use of nano-fertilizers can be an effective strategy in optimizing fertilizer use in croping systems and achieving sustainable agriculture. This research was carried out to study the effect of nano-fertilizers spraying compared with common chemical N.P.K fertilizers use on morphological traits, yield and yield components of rice in Sari, Mazandaran province for two years (2016 and 2017). A split plot experiment, based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted. The main factors were two rice cultivars (Tarom and Shiroudi) and a sub plots including fertilizer treatments in 10 levels, consisting of control (without fertilizer), common fertilizers of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and NPK, and nano-fertilizers of nitrogen (Nano-N; chelated nitrogen 17%), phosphorus (Nano-P; chelated phosphorus 17%), potassium (Nano-K; chelated potassium 27%) and NPK (Nano-NPK), plus simultaneous application of NPK and Nano-NPK (NPK+Nano-NPK). The results showed that, use of conventional fertilizers and nano-fertilizers, including the use of NPK and Nano-NPK, increased the yield and yield components of both rice cultivars. Most of the fertilizer levels (N, K, NPK fertilizers in Tarom and P, K and NPK fertilizers in Shiroudi), the use of nano-fertilizers was more affective than conventional fertilizer and increased seed yield. Application of Nano-NPK increase yield of Tarom and Shirodi cultivars by 22.54% and 12.12%, respectively as compared to the use of NPK. Since the application of chemical fertilizers is indispensable for obtaining proper yield in plants, the use of nano-fertilizers, especially Nano-NPK treatments, can be a good strategy to optimize the use of fertilizers in rice fields.