AMELIORATION OF SALT STRESS IN RICE PLANT BY THE UTILIZATION OF BIOCHAR

Abstract

A Pot experiment was conducted in the experimental shed of Department of Agronomy, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during Aman season (2018 July-2018 December) to ameliorate the salinity stress in rice as influenced by different level of biochar. The experiment was laid out in two factor CRD design with four replications. There were 12 treatments (3 salinity level × 4 level of biochar). Mixture of water with commercial NaCl was used as salinity treatments. Salinity level were S 0 = 0 ppm NaCl, S 1 = 1600 ppm NaCl, S ii

2 = 2800 ppm NaCl. Biochar level were B

= 0 t ha -1 , B 1 = 2 t ha -1 , B 2 = 4 t ha -1 , B 3 = 6 t ha -1 . The salinity treatments were applied on 20-40 DAT. Salt stress significantly reduced growth and yield including plant height, number of tillers hill -1 , number of effective tillers hill -1 , panicle length, number of filled grains panicle -1 , 1000 grain weight, grain yield , straw yield. With the rise of salinity level the adverse effect of salinity was more clearly visible. Application of 2800 ppm NaCl caused death of rice plant after 60 days of transplanting. Intrusion of 1600 ppm NaCl caused 28% yield reduction 2800 ppm NaCl caused 100% yield loses. However, application of different doses of Biochar ameliorates salt-induced damage in rice plant to a certain extent. Application of Biochar at 4 t ha −1 showed better result than other under 1600 ppm NaCl stress regarding growth and yield.