Browsing by Author "Dasanayaka, I.G.C.R."

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    Effect of Long Term Phosphorus Fertilizer Application on Phosphorus Availability and Cd Accumulation in Rice Soils (Oryza sativa L.)
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2013) Dasanayaka, I.G.C.R.; Herath, H.M.S.K.; Sirisena, D.N.
    Rice occupies approximately 33 % of the total cultivated area in Sri Lanka accounting to 0.78 million hectares (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2010). Plant nutrients are essential for the production of crops and in term of healthy food for the world’s increasing population. In that context, phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient in rice cultivation. P is directly absorbed form soil and makes up 0.1% - 0.4% of the dry matter in plants. It involves in carbohydrate breakdown for energy release, cell division and transfer of inherited characters. P stimulates early root growth and development, hastens maturity of plant, improves seed production and involves in energy transformation. Since supply of P from soil is not enough to obtain higher grain yields, farmers are advised to apply P fertilizer into soil. These synthetic fertilizers carry lot of heavy metals such as Cd as contaminants. Scientists are of great interest at the moment of the contamination of heavy metals to paddy fields through P fertilizer especially super phosphate (TSP). Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and is also known as one of the major environmental pollutants. Cd is dissolved in water, taken by crops, transferred to human body by ingestion causing health problems. This research was conducted to study the effect of P fertilizer application in the long term basis on soil fertility status and grain yield of paddy. Methodology The study was conducted at Rice Research and Development Institute Batalagoda situated in the low country intermediate zone IL1 agro ecological region of Sri Lanka (longitudes of 800 and 810 and latitude of 70 and 80 at an elevation of 65 meters above sea level). Soils of the experimental site belong to Kurunagala soil series and great soil group of Psummentichupludult. Treatments namely: no P fertilizer (T1); seasonal P fertilizer application (T2); alternative seasonal P application (T3) were used and arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replicates. P fertilizer rates added to the above experiment were based on the recommendation given by the Department of Agriculture (Department of Agriculture, 2001). respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for available P and total P contents. Plant samples were analyzed for plant P contents. To determine Cd accumulation in soil, straw, seeds, plant and soil samples were analyzed. Having air dried and passed through 2 mm sieve, each sample was thoroughly ground into fine powder and total P, available P and Cd were measured.