Effect of wheat residue incorporation along with n starter dose on rice yield and soil health under saline sodic soil

A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of crop residue incorporation @ 5 tons wheat straw/ha along with n starter dose (0,30 kg n/ha,60 kg n/ha and 90 kg n/ha) on rice (super basmati) production and soil health under saline sodic soils (ece=5.32 ds/m,ph=8.52 and sar=18.38) during 2009. treatments were arranged using randomized complete block design (rcbd) with three replications. the crop was harvested at maturity,data on tillering,plant height,spike length,number of grains/spike,1000-grain weight,straw and paddy yields were recorded. na,k,ca and n concentration in grain and straw were estimated using atomic absorption spectroscopy. tillering,number of grains/spike,1000-grain weight and paddy yield significantly (p≤ 0.05) increased by different levels of doses. maximum plant height (135.66 cm) and numbers of grains/spike (140.33),spike length (24.66 cm),number of tillers/plant (40.33) and 1000-grain weight (23 g) were recorded at the application of 5 tons wheat straw/ha along with 90 kg n/ha. grain yield was the maximum (3.32 t/ha) at the application of 5 tons wheat straw/ha along with 90 kg n/ha and 26% more than control treatment. positive correlations (r = 0.85) and (r = 0.96) was observed between calcium and potassium contents in grain and grain yield of rice. however,negative correlation (-0.92) between na contents in grain and paddy yield was found. it indicated presence of significantly higher ca and k contents in grain receiving wheat straw application combined with n starter dose. its application helped plants to attain more ca and k to avoid sodium uptake which has been an added advantage to alleviate salinity/sodicity. economical analysis showed maximum value cost ratio (5.45:1) with the application of 5 tons wheat straw/ha along with 90 kg n/ha.