Effect of blue Green Algae in rice productivity:Acomparison of Field and Pot Trials in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal

Abstract

Rice is one of the oldest cultivated crops and single most importantstaple food crop for more than a third of the world's population. It is themain cereal grain and important staple food crop of Nepal. Nepal isimporting chemical fertilizers from other countries for rice production.On the other hand there is a problem of transportation of fertilizers inhilly areas. The inoculation of Blue Green Algale is an alternative sourceof nitrogen to increase the rice productivity. The mixed inoculum ofNostoc, Anabaena,Westiellopsis, AulosiraandScytonemawas used infield and pot trials. Similarly a single inoculum of Anabaenawas alsoused to compare the most effective treatment. The rice varieties usedwere NR 10414 and Mansuli. From the field and pot trials the BGAmixed inoculum with N:P:K (30:20:20) was found most effective for riceproductivity. The grain yield ranged from 7.1%-23.6% whereas theincrease in straw yield ranged from 7.2%-22.2%. The BGA inoculumwas found helpful in increasing the chlorophyll ofrice plant. BGA addedNitrogen and Organic matter to the rice grown soil.